Lt. Gen. Fick Takes Lead of F-35 Program
Air Force Lt. Gen. Eric Fick assumed the watch from VADM Mat Winter as the program executive officer for the F-35 program in a ceremony last week in Washington, DC.
Shanahan’s DefSec Nomination Pulled
Acting DefSec Patrick Shanahan’s bid to become defense secretary has been withdrawn. Reports are that he is resigning after scrutiny over a domestic fight with his wife in 2010.
DoD Still at Risk of Cyber Intrusions
Fifty cybersecurity assessments of combatant commands and the military services by the Department of Defense reveal its missions and systems continue to be at risk of cyber intrusions, despite improvements in network defenses.
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.
Will a Government Shutdown Be Avoided?
Congress has only a few days left to pass a funding package for several large federal agencies and general government appropriations to avoid a government shutdown.
Navy Suicides Still Highest of All Services
Suicide rates in the Navy have climbed rapidly since 2015 with a 53 percent spike from 2016 to 2017, more than among active duty service members in any other branch of the military. Although more modest than the Navy’s rate, suicide rates continued to rise for all duty service members in 2017.
Students on the Cyber Fast Track
Students at the College of Southern Maryland recently participated in the launch of Cyber Fast Track Maryland, a new program that has been established to help close a widening gap of job openings in the field of cybersecurity.
Air Force Plugging F-35 Cybersecurity Holes
The F-35’s external support systems are deemed the easiest entry points for hackers, leading the Air Force to increase efforts to plug F-35 cybersecuirty holes.
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.
Integrity of US Electoral Systems Put to the Test?
DoD sent cyber personnel to work with the Department of Homeland Security ahead of today’s voting in an effort to prevent or respond to election hacking attempts. Some experts remain concerned about the risk of foreign interference, vote hacking and fraud.
