March 19, 2024

Trump Signs FY18 Defense Authorization Bill

FY18 Defense Authorization

President Trump signs the FY18 Defense Authorization Bill. The nearly $700 billion authorization establishes the 2018 military pay raise at 2.4 percent and sets the stage for increased Pentagon spending in coming months.

Report: Captain at Fault in El Faro Sinking

El Faro

A Coast Guard report says the primary cause of the 2015 sinking of the cargo ship El Faro, which killed all 33 aboard, was the captain underestimating the strength of a hurricane and overestimating the ship’s strength.

Deal Reached on Next Batch of F-35s

F-35

Negotiations to bring down the cost of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter continued late last week. The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin said the deal for the next batch of 90 F-35s shaved $728 million off the cost of the program and brings the cost of each plane below $95 million.

Gene Splicing Listed as WMD Threat

gene splicing

James Clapper, US director of national intelligence, includes gene editing as a weapon of mass destruction threat in the annual worldwide threat assessment report.

MD Undecided on Search for Offshore Oil, Gas

offshore oil

Maryland is still mostly neutral, Delaware has banned it, but Virginia is encouraging the search for off-shore oil and gas along its shore.

Who Made the Most Defense Revenue in FY15

The top 20 Defense Contractors listed by their defense revenue in FY15.

All Souls Day Mass for El Faro Crew

El Faro

Seafarer’s International Union Pres. Michael Sacco invites Fr. Paul Nguyen says All Souls Day Mass for the El Faro crew at Paul Hall Center.

Navy Finds El Faro

El Faro

The Navy finds El Faro, possibly upright, in 15,000 feet of water. The 33 lost crew included 17 members of Seafarers International, its training school in Piney Point.

Ultimate Hack: Undersea Communication Cable

communication cable

Russian ships and subs operating near vital communication cable lines make US nervous, a severed line could halt governments, international economies.

Transportation & FAA want All Drones Registered

drone owners

All drones, even those operated by hobbyists, could be required to register with the Dept. of Transportation and/or Federal Aviation Authority, perhaps as soon as November.