Admission to Academies Will Be Based Exclusively on Merit
US military academies have been ordered to end consideration of race, gender, and ethnicity in their admissions processes. Acceptance will be based “exclusively on merit.”
House Defense Spending Bill Includes More F-35s, One Attack Sub
The US House on Friday narrowly passed its version of the $833 billion defense spending bill for fiscal 2025. The legislation would buy eight more F-35s beyond the Pentagon’s budget request of 68, while only procuring one Virginia-class attack submarine instead of the usual two vessels the bill usually provides.
Army Corps Leads Effort on Bridge Cleanup
The US Army Corps of Engineers is deploying more than 1,100 personnel to Baltimore, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge into the Patapsco River on Tuesday. Naval Sea Systems Command is contracting out a variety of vessels to the harbor to help with clearing and reopening of the channel after a tanker struck the bridge.
UAE Clears First US Hurdle to Purchase Chinook Helicopters
The State Dept. has cleared the United Arab Emirates to purchase of 10 Chinook helicopters for $830 million. The purchase must also be approved by Congress, which can still negotiate changes in quantities and cost.
