March 19, 2024

CANCELED: US Blue Economy Topic of TPP Program

The Patuxent Partnership’s program for February 28 with US Navy retired RDML Tim Gallaudet has been canceled.

US Foreign Military Sales Hit All-Time High in FY23

Foreign Military Sales

US foreign military sales and deliveries hit $80.9 billion last year. The fiscal 2023 total was 55% higher than the previous year. FY22 saw $51.9 billion in foreign arms sales.

Navy Lowers Requirements for Enlistees

Requirements for Enlistees

The US Navy will now allow those without a high school diploma or GED to enlist as long as they reach a certain score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. The service hopes these new standards will attract more prospects during its recruiting crisis.

Navy Settles Lawsuit Over Potomac Testing

Weapons Tests Dahlgren

A lawsuit against the US Navy regarding weapons testing on the Potomac River has been settled. The Navy will be required to obtain a Clean Water Act permit to minimize the pollution impacts from its weapons testing at Dahlgren, VA.

F-35’s Armory Is About to Get Bigger

F-35

The US Navy is launching an effort to procure four integrated advanced munitions — JASSM, LRASM, JAGM, and Hellfire missiles — on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

DoD: Percentage of Women in Military Rises

Women

The number of service members in the US military declined last year by 2.7%. A total of 2,077,630 service members were in the active-duty and selected reserve population — a decrease of 58,282 from 2021, while the percentage of women in the military inched upward. The DoD’s 2022 Demographics Profile of the Military Community found that since 2005, the percentage of active-duty military women has increased by 2.9% while the percentage of women in the selected reserve has risen by 4.4%.

Uptick in Attacks on US Troops in Middle East

Attacks

As the US continues to move its assets around the Middle East to support Israel in its war against Hamas, the number of attacks on US troops nearby has increased.

CNO: Navy 7,000 Short on New Recruits

Training

The US Navy is likely to miss its recruiting goals this year, acting Chief of Naval Operations ADM Lisa Franchetti told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week. “We’re going to be about 7,000 short,” she said.

Short-Term Funding Measure Would Avert Govt. Shutdown

Shutdown

The White House has asked Congress to pass a short-term funding measure to keep the government operating after the current budget year ends September 30. Seven of 10 voters polled in a Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s survey said they were concerned there will be a shutdown because Congress will be unable to reach an agreement on a new budget. Voters are increasingly concerned about the economic damage created by political brinksmanship and the interruption of government services.

Navy, Army, Corps All Without Chiefs

Chief

With the retirement of ADM Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations, the US Navy becomes the third services branch — along with the Marine Corps and Army — to be operating without a Senate-confirmed chief.