Turkey’s F-35 Purchase Blocked by NDAA
The $716B defense authorization bill was signed earlier in the year than any NDAA for the past 40 years and also included a stall in the F-35 sale to Turkey and provided President Trump an opportunity to tout his Space Force.
DoD Plans for Space Force Combatant Command
The Pentagon releases its four-prong approach for a Space Force combatant command as a sixth branch of the armed forces.
GAO: On Drones, Safety Oversight Is Lagging
A recent GAO report finds that as the nation’s fleet of small recreational and commercial drones soars, federal enforcement oversight is stalling.
A New Flying Classroom for Test Pilots
An old Fairchild Swearingen C-26A Metroliner is now the Airborne Systems Training and Research Support, or ASTARS III, and belongs to the Test Pilot School at NAS Pax. The aircraft will serve as a flying classroom.
First Loss of F-35B for Marine Corps
An F-35B that erupted into flames caused by a faulty bracket nearly two years ago has been struck by the Marine Corps, making it the first loss of an F-35 for the corps. The corps made the determination that the costs to repair the fighter would not be worth the return on investment.
Trump Calls for 6th Branch — Space Force
President Donald Trump directed DoD to establish a military space force to add a sixth branch of the military.
Trump Considering Space Force in DoD
President Trump, honoring Army for its football team and praising all five branches of the military, suggests discussions are ongoing about a sixth branch — a space force.
National Guard Begins Deployment at Border
National Guard troops are being deployed to the US border with Mexico. DefSec Jim Mattis has specified that the Guard will assist the Department of Homeland Security but not perform law enforcement missions and will be armed only when necessary for self-defense.
