TPP to Present 2023 Defense Summit
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
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
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
Two US Navy Super Hornets suffered mishaps on consecutive days in November at NAS Oceana, VA.
GAO: Aircraft Readiness Goals Not Being Met
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
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.
Weather, Climate Disasters Taking Toll on Guard
Climate change and weather-related disasters are running the National Guard ragged, some experts believe. An increase in man hours spent fighting wildfires is just one example of how these record-breaking incidents are impacting the Guard, which often responds to wildfires and hurricanes all over the country.
US Breaks Opens War Stockpile
During the Cold War, a program was implemented to keep equipment, gear, and rations ready. A “break-glass” type of preparation. Soldiers would only touch the stocks in case of war. The stockpile has been opened for the first time and is outfitting the US Army with thousands of vehicles and equipment pieces from Army Prepositioned Stocks-2.
Ukraine Makes Plea for Weapons
The list of countries around the globe promising military weapons to Ukraine is growing.
More Troops Being Deployed to Europe
Three thousand members of the 82nd Airborne Division are scheduled to join 3,000 troops already mobilized to Poland, Germany, and Romania, as tensions mount along the Ukraine-Russia border. The White House is warning US civilians in Ukraine: Get out now, because the military won’t help rescue you if Russia invades.
