March 19, 2024

Navy Lowers Requirements for Enlistees

Requirements for Enlistees

The US Navy will now allow those without a high school diploma or GED to enlist as long as they reach a certain score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. The service hopes these new standards will attract more prospects during its recruiting crisis.

Dubai Air Show Packed Despite Tensions

Despite a tense regional backdrop, the huge Dubai Air Show is running this week, although without a robust presence of Israeli defense firms. The show opened with great news for Boeing which sold another 90 passenger jets to the Emirates, the largest order since the US company’s first sale to Dubai 10 years ago.

NAWCAD Unveils Newest Nat’l. Cyber Range

Cyber Program

US Navy commanders, executives, and other local leaders celebrated the opening of the Department of Defense’s newest National Cyber Range last week at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at NAS Pax River.

MD Won’t Send Guard to Southern Border

Border

A growing list of Republican leaders are sending their state National Guard soldiers or other state law enforcement officers to the US border with Mexico. Gov. Wes Moore (D) said last week that “Maryland’s not doing that. Right now, what Maryland is doing — Maryland is focusing on public safety here. Maryland is focusing on our schools here. Maryland is focusing on the myriad of challenges and the myriad of opportunities that we have here in the state of Maryland … .”

TPP to Present 2023 Defense Summit

F-35

The Patuxent Partnership will present its 2023 Defense Summit on Naval Aviation and National Security on June 21 at the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland.

Probe Finds Pilot Error in F-35C Crash

JPALS

Naval Air Forces investigators found that pilot error caused an F-35C Lightning II fighter jet to crash onto the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson before sliding into the South China Sea last year. The error “was not conducted in a reckless manner nor with malicious intent,” according to the Naval Air Forces Command.

Contractors Get Half of DoD Budget

$1.3T Budget

More than half of the Pentagon’s yearly budget goes to private contractors. In 2021, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman received over $116 billion in Pentagon contracts while paying their top two dozen executives a total of $287 million. The CEOs of the top five contractors received compensation ranging from $18 million to $23 million each.

2 Super Hornets, 2 Mishaps in 2 Days

Mishaps

Two US Navy Super Hornets suffered mishaps on consecutive days in November at NAS Oceana, VA.

GAO: Aircraft Readiness Goals Not Being Met

Readiness

A Government Accountability Office report finds that more than two dozen military aircraft fleets — the bulk of the US’s military airpower — haven’t met their annual combat-readiness goals in at least a decade.

Pax Alum 1st Native Woman to Fly Into Space

Pax Alum

NAS Patuxent River alum Nicole Mann will be the first Native woman to fly into space this fall. She is scheduled to be aboard the SpaceX Crew-5 mission to go to the International Space Station.