Navy Conducts Shock Trials for New Carrier
During full ship shock trials Friday in the Atlantic Ocean , the US Navy triggered an explosion near the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier with a 40,000-pound bomb. The blast registered as a 3.9 magnitude earthquake.
IG Report: P-8A Readiness Rates Drop
An evaluation of the readiness of the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon says the aircraft’s mission capable rates have fallen below the targets set by Naval Air Forces. The May 19 report was released by the DoD’s Office of the Inspector General.
Timeline on Vote for New DefSec Unclear
The Senate Armed Services Committee is planning a confirmation hearing at 3 pm Jan. 19 for GEN Lloyd Austin, the Biden administration’s choice for secretary of defense. A timeline for any vote has not yet been established.
Trump Tweets DefSec Esper Is ‘Terminated’
DefSec Mark Esper got the boot on Monday. President Donald Trump made the announcement in a Tweet. Christopher Miller, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will be the acting secretary.
DoD Asks to Classify Five-Year Projections
The Pentagon has asked Congress to classify its five-year Future Year Defense Program, considered essential information to show where DoD expects to invest in the future. The document has been unclassified since 1989.
Truman Strike Group Joins 6th Fleet
The US Navy said the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group entered the 6th Fleet’s area of operations. The Truman had been sidelined due to electrical glitches; it is expected to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln.
Shortage of Cybersecurity Workers Continues
A recent Cybersecurity Workforce Study finds there is a shortage of cybersecurity professionals around the world. In the US, a current cybersecurity workforce of more than 800,000 is nowhere close to the number of cybersecurity jobs needed to protect government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and small and mid-sized business.
Newest Carriers Can’t Handle F-35C
The Navy will refit its 36-year-old Vinson aircraft carrier to accommodate its newest fighter jet the F-35C. The Navy’s newest carriers, the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS John F. Kennedy — not yet in operation — will be refit in future years for the strike fighter
US Growing Outreach in Indo-Pacific Region
As China works to spread its influence, US Pacific Air Forces is growing its outreach to countries across the Indo-Pacific region.
Turkey to US: Reverse Decision on F-35
Turkey has asked the US to reverse its decision to exclude that country from F-35 fighter jet program.
