Lawmakers to Scrutinize Hegseth Strike-to-Kill Order
Republican-led committees in the US Senate and House want a full accounting from the Pentagon after a report revealed that DefSec Pete Hegseth gave an order to kill two survivors on an alleged drug boat that had been struck by a US missile.
Pentagon Ramps Up Cybersecurity Efforts
The Pentagon is now rolling out acquisition training to get government and industry up to speed on implementation of the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification standards program that goes into effect in November.
DoD Rebrand: US Department of War
The US Defense Department will now be known as the Department of War. “It’s … restoring the warrior ethos, restoring victory and clarity as an end state. Restoring intentionality to the use of force,” DefSec Pete Hegseth said.
Guard Troops in DC Can Now Carry Weapons
National Guard troops deployed in Washington, DC, are now authorized to carry weapons if their mission requires it. DefSec Pete Hegseth signed a memo Friday that allows the roughly 2,000 troops now mobilized in Washington to expand their operations.
Trump Proposes New Fighter Jet, the F-55
President Donald Trump wants the US military to have a new twin-engine F-35. He wants to call it the F-55. It will have two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35. Some analysts say it will be a highly challenging engineering endeavor.
Pentagon to Expand Defense Innovation Unit
The Pentagon said it will expand the Defense Innovation Unit across the US to help it connect with a broader swath of technology companies. Three new DIU hubs will be located in Kentucky, Minnesota, and Montana.
Arctic Blast Forces Inauguration Indoors
Frigid weather is moving today’s presidential inauguration indoors to the US Capitol rotunda. The swearing-in ceremony is slated to start at noon.
DoD Wants the Force More Capable, Not Bigger
The Defense Department is looking to reduce 25,000 military positions. DoD Comptroller Michael McCord said the goal is not to make the force bigger, but to make it more capable. The new budget request would reduce the number of active-duty sailors by 1,184 and the Reserve by 951.
Weather, Climate Disasters Taking Toll on Guard
Climate change and weather-related disasters are running the National Guard ragged, some experts believe. An increase in man hours spent fighting wildfires is just one example of how these record-breaking incidents are impacting the Guard, which often responds to wildfires and hurricanes all over the country.
Defense Revenues Up 5% Over Last Year
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the defense industry saw a gain in revenues in 2020. Defense revenues recorded in this year’s Defense News Top 100 list totaled $551 billion, up about 5% from $524 billion for fiscal 2019.
