Weekend Intercept 6th Time This Month for US Fighters
US aircraft scrambled on Saturday to intercept four Russian reconnaissance jets off Alaska. The intercept was the sixth time US fighters have intercepted Russian military aircraft near Alaska this month and the 10th time this year.
Pentagon Reopening Brings Back Some Staff
The first phase of the Pentagon’s reopening is bringing back some employees who had previously been ordered to stay home and opening select entrances to the building.
Another First for Space Exploration
SpaceX plans to launch veteran astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on May 27. NASA administrator: “NASA will once again launch American astronauts on American rockets from America!”
Last of Block II Super Hornets Delivered
The US Navy took delivery of the final Block II Super Hornet earlier this month, closing out a run of 322 one-seater F/A-18Es and 286 two-seater F/A-18Fs.
Could Roosevelt CO Be Reinstated?
DefSec Mark Esper left the door open for reinstating Capt. Brett Crozier, commanding officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, who was relieved of duty after he urged the Navy to step up its response to a coronavirus outbreak on the aircraft carrier.
TPP Extends Member of Year Nomination Deadline
The Patuxent Partnership is accepting nominations for its 2019 Member of the Year award. To accommodate the recent changes in work scheduling, the nominations are now due May 1, 2020.
Face Coverings Now Required on All DoD Property
DefSec Mark Esper: All people on DoD property, installations, and facilities must wear cloth face coverings.
Amid Pilot Shortage, Marine Corps Assessing F-35 Fleet
A shortage of pilots has the Marine Corps assessing the F-35’s place in its fleet. “Our continued inability to build and sustain an adequate inventory of F-35 pilots leads me to conclude that we must be pragmatic regarding our ability to support” the program,” Gen. David Berger said.
Pentagon Dismisses Criticism of F-35 Program
Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff. Lt. Gen. Eric Fick took exception to recent criticism of the F-35 JSF program by SpaceX founder Elon Musk, reports Defense News. The Pentagon’s head of the F-35 Lightning II JPO countered Musk by saying that the jet will be relevant for decades to come. “I’m happy to see what comes next, be it manned or unmanned, but I think the F-35 is going…
Hackers Reach DoD Contractors’ Data
Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Boeing, and SpaceX are among dozens of companies named as victims of compromised data. Visser Precision, a Colorado-based aerospace, automotive, and industrial parts manufacturer, was hacked by the ransomware group DoppelPaymer.
