US Drones Collide and Crash in Syria
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Two US drones collided and crashed over Idlib, Syria, reports Military Times; unknown is whether they were shot at afterward and whether that caused the crash. Images of burning aircraft crashing to the ground were posted on Twitter on Tuesday. There was speculation that the aircraft were MQ-9 Reapers, a remotely piloted aircraft used predominately as an armed hunter-killer drone, but also capable of surveillance and intelligence collection. The Drive has video via YouTube and Twitter of the drones.
Military Times unveils its New Best for Vets: Employers rankings for 2020, offering a comprehensive look at how companies nationwide have support to recruit and retain former service members into the civilian job market.
Navy Reservist and surgeon Dr. Jonathan A. Pryor compellingly describes what it is like to have COVID-19, reports Navy Times. “Truly strange times, strange symptoms. One minute, I feel fine and ready to get back to work as if this is just some bad dream. The next, I am fighting for breaths as if they will be my last. … I now know what it’s like to struggle to breathe. It has been said before, COVID-19 is not to be taken lightly. … Whoever is taking the time to read this, thank you. Whoever is taking the time to wear a mask, thank you. Whoever is taking the time to stay at home and socially distance, thank you. Whoever is taking the time to wash your hands for 20 seconds and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, thank you.”
After a record-breaking 206 days at sea with no port calls the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower wrapped up its seven-month tour in the 5th and 6th fleets at Norfolk Naval Station with a reminder from the captain, “Please remember the world is different.” It has been a surreal return, reports Navy Times. A sailor describes the months aboard and return. “It’s kind of scary. It gives me anxiety a little. I’ve been talking to other people on the ship like, ‘How you holding up? I don’t want to leave the house.” Among other morale boosting efforts, crew were given “Oh, the places you won’t go” T-shirts, the sailor said.
The hundreds of Navajo Code Talkers who helped the Allied forces covertly communicate during World War II were honored August 14, the date of the Japanese surrender marking the end of the war, also known as Code Talker Day, reports Marine Corps Times. They served in the Marine Corps transmitting messages using a code based on the Navajo language. The code developed by an original group of 29 Navajos was used to confound Japanese forces. It was never broken. Only a handful of Code Talkers are still alive.
Valkyrie, an emergency fresh whole blood program, enables Navy corpsmen to call someone on a pre-screened donor pool for units of blood to infuse a patient. USNI reports this can be done at the point of injury, saving valuable time before the patient is evacuated to higher-level care.
The intelligence community’s research arm wants to protect secure data transmissions from its remote operations by listening for the tell-tale radio wave ripples and whispers that could mean someone is listening in, reports FCW.
The Navy has quietly initiated work to develop its first new carrier-based fighter in almost 20 years, USNI News reports. The multi-billion-dollar effort to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and electronic attack EA-18G Growlers beginning in the 2030s is taking early steps to quickly develop a new manned fighter to extend the reach of the carrier air wing and bring new relevance to the Navy’s fleet of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
The US Space Force will begin sharing valuable space situational awareness data with the United Kingdom as part of Operation Olympic Defender, reports C4ISRNET. Under a recently signed agreement, the Space Force will share its Standardized Astrodynamics Algorithm Library with the UK’s Ministry of Defense. SAAL is a collection of the Space Force’s understanding of orbital physics and algorithms that helps the service predict the trajectories of objects on orbit.
Army general loses star, retires over sexual misconduct complaint he disputes, reports Army Times. A former brigadier general who was up for a second star intends to fight a demotion to colonel that finalized this summer over allegations of sexual misconduct from a subordinate enlisted soldier during temporary duty travel to Fort Hood, TX. Mr. David Hamilton was relieved from his position as director of operations for NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in September and eventually retired this summer at the rank of colonel.
The top lawyer at the DHS slams GAO assertions that top DHS officials were elevated to their acting positions in violation of the law, reports FCW.
The US Navy is on the brink of what could be a major shift in how it operates, but first Chief of Naval Ops ADM Michael Gilday wants to figure how the tech fits with the mainstream fleet, reports Defense News.
The Navy needs more ships — and vision, too, says Defense One. From shipyards to sea, the Navy needs to show more passionate leadership articulating what its future must be, and why. Today’s need for a larger Navy is driven largely by the tremendous growth in China’s Navy and the steady improvement of Russia’s naval forces, opines Brent Sadler.
Contracts:
IAP Worldwide Services Inc., Cape Canaveral, Florida, is awarded a modification in the amount of $9,571,580 recurring/non-recurring services type contract for base operating services at Naval Support Activity Annapolis. The work to be performed provides for all management, supervision, labor hours, training, equipment and supplies necessary to perform base operating services to include but not limited to facility investment, service calls, pest control, operation of utility plants, refuse collection, special events and snow and ice removal. Work will be performed in Annapolis, Maryland, with the contract option period of Sept. 1, 2020, through Nov. 30, 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,845,435 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the contract option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N40080-20-D-0500).