March 28, 2024

CH-53K Moving Toward Entry Into Service

CH-53K

The US Marine Corps’ CH-53K King Stallion program is preparing for its first deployment in 2025. The heavy lift helicopter recently also recently went through its second set of sea trials. The Corps continues to execute the transition from the CH-53E to the CH-53K and is on schedule to declare full operational capability in FY2029.

State Dept. Ups Reward for Info on Hackers

Cyber Threats

The US State Department is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identity and location of five hackers thought to be part of the Russia-backed Conti ransomware group. Another Russian hacking group is claiming an attack on Lockheed Martin that knocked the company’s websites offline.

MQ-25 Initial Carrier Demo Completed

The US Navy completed an Unmanned Carrier Aviation Demonstration of its MQ-25 unmanned air system prototype in December aboard USS George H.W. Bush, laying the groundwork for future carrier-based UAS operations.

US in Final Stages of Evacuations in Kabul

The withdrawal of Americans and other US allies is in its final stages, amid more threats of terrorism in Afghanistan. President Joe Biden said over the weekend that another terrorist attack is “highly likely.”

The Few. The Proud. The Female F-35 Pilots

Female F-35 Pilots

“In the military, females are outnumbered in general. It just gets narrower and narrower as you get into the pilot community and then the fighter pilot community,” says Air Force Capt. Kristin “Beo” Wolfe, that service’s first female F-35 demo pilot.

Fewer Veterans in Congress

The number of vets in Congress has steadily dropped and now the veteran lawmaker count could sink to under 100 for the first time since the 1950s.

X-47B UCAS Flies With F/A-18E

x-47b UCAS-D on USS Truman

In a historic first, an unmanned X-47B UCAS both took off and landed alongside a manned aircraft, an F/A-18E Super Hornet.

Innovate Within Contracting System

While waiting for Congressional acquisition reform, experts believe there’s a lot of freedom to innovate within the existing federal contracting system.

DoD Prime Contractor Performance Analysis Released

Pentagon Capitol

The 2014 Performance of the Defense Acquisition System report analyzes prime contractors in terms of contracted products and services.

Full-Scale Drone from Pax Lands on Carrier; Makes History

Landing a fighter jet by computer; fairness in federal salaries, differing definitions of privacy at the Aspen Security Forum and the NSA is open sourcing anti-hacking code.