March 28, 2024

Morning Coffee: UCLASS RFP Due This Summer

X-47B UCAS-D on USS Truman

The Boeing X-47B to start new sea trials and the UCLASS X-47B follow on RFP is scheduled for release this summer.

US, European Defense Sales Slide, Russia’s Up

money

Focus is on budgets, as U.S. defense sales slip yet again and Pentagon struggles to rein in spending.

VA Tech Wins UAS Test Siting, Could Boost Pax Sites

RQ-21A Drone

Formal collaborative agreements among between Virginia Tech, Rutgers and the University of Maryland System could retain Southern Maryland sites as potential testing arenas for commercializing unmanned aviation systems.

Def Sec Hagel Gives Thanks to Military

Defense Secretary expresses his gratitude to military service members and their families yesterday in a Thanksgiving message.

Tougher Tests for X-47B; Repriced JSF Could Win S. Korea

UCAS X-47B Cat Launch

Increasingly complicated testing aboard carriers defines 2014 for the X-47B and increasing foreign sales of the JSF could reduce the jets’ costs.

Furloughed Get Full Benefits; Defense Stocks Up, for Now

X-47B UCAS-D in hangar

The stock of the X-47B is climbing. This month it became the first Navy program or product to snag one of Popular Mechanics’ Breakthrough Awards.

Cruz Ups Ante in Fight Over Bill To Keep Government Open

Shutdown looms Oct. 1 if House, Senate can’t agree, and St. Mary’s County remembers Frank Kohler.

Joint Chiefs Chair & Vice-chair Face SASC

Gen. Martin Dempsey and Adm. James Winnefeld will field global questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee, but confirmation of second terms for the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Joint Chiefs is expected.

Pentagon Looks to Lose 20 Percent of Its Top Brass

budget axe

As Defense Sec’y Chuck Hagel warns of continued budget threats to top personnel, the Pentagon readies a consolidated health care program to save $2.4 billion.

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.