Navy Is Upping Its Game in the Pacific
The littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords deployed last week from San Diego packing the US Navy’s new naval strike missile. It’s headed to the Indo-Pacific theater.
Border Wall Savings Add 20 Miles of Barrier
Pentagon chief approves 20 more miles of barriers between Mexico and the United States after seven other border wall projects came in under budget.
Medals Awarded to US-Mexico Border Troops
Thousands of US troops who deployed to the US-Mexico border will receive the Armed Forces Service Medal, created by President Bill Clinton.
Esper Targets Area No Longer Under Treaty
A day after the US pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, DefSec Mark Esper said he wants to deploy a ground-based missile able to travel into the previously prohibited range, “sooner rather than later.”
UK to Join US Navy in Strait of Hormuz
Britain will join a US-led naval security mission in the Strait of Hormuz, raising tensions in the region. Iran’s foreign minister calls the US ratcheting up of sanctions a “failure” for diplomacy.
Newest Littoral Combat Ship Reports to Fleet
The Billings, a Freedom-class littoral combat ship, was commissioned in a Saturday ceremony in Key West, FL. The warship is named after Montana’s largest city.
Task Force to Study Cancer-Causing Chemicals Used on Bases
DefSec Mark Esper signed a memo on his first full day at work establishing a task force to deal with cancer-causing chemicals found on military bases.
Esper is Sworn in as DefSec
Mark Esper is sworn in as US Secretary of Defense during an Oval Office ceremony. Esper supports former DefSec Jim Mattis’ National Defense Strategy to maintain preparedness for conflict with capable adversaries like Russia and China.
$738B for DoD Not Enough, Says GOP
The nearly $1.4 trillion spending plan — which would prevent a government shutdown this fall and do away with the final two years of budget caps known as sequestration — includes about $738 billion for DoD in FY2020, a 3 percent increase from current year levels.
F-35 Will Miss Readiness Mark
Presumptive DefSec Mark Esper says the F-35 won’t hit 80 percent readiness this year, held back by a cockpit part that improves stealth performance.
