US-Russia Nuclear Treaty Expires

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The last nuclear arms treaty between the US and Russia has expired. The treaty set limits on the type and number of nuclear weapons, reports Reuters, and expired as of Feb. 5, 2026. Russian officials said there has been no response from Washington on a proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend the limits of the treaty beyond expiry. Arms control deals began after the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis to reduce the chance of a catastrophic nuclear exchange. The last update to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (SALT II) was in 2010, signed by US and Russian presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev.

A heavy Russian cargo plane that previously brought air defense systems to Venezuela arrived at a military airfield near Havana, Cuba’s capital, late Sunday, reports Defense News, citing flight records.

Putin announced last week, that Russia earned over $15 billion from arms exports in 2025, supplying military equipment to more than 30 countries despite Western sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Though, reports Defense News, questions remain about the number’s validity.

An F-35C Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was “aggressively” approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, reports Military Times. Hours later, two Iranian vessels and a Mohajer drone harassed and “threatened to board and seize the tanker” Stena Imperative, according to US Central Command. The US destroyer USS McFaul escorted the merchant vessel “with defensive air support from the US Air Force.”

The US House approved $1 trillion to fund several agencies, including DoD, ending the partial government shutdown, reports NPR. The agreement only funds Homeland Security through Feb. 13 with lawmakers aiming to use that 10-day window to negotiate changes to federal immigration enforcement. The bill passed 217 to 214, with 21 Democrats joining Republicans.

A federal judge said Tuesday that no Supreme Court precedent justifies the Pentagon’s censuring of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a retired Navy pilot, for joining a video saying troops and government employees can resist unlawful orders, reports AP News. “You’re asking me to do something the Supreme Court has never done,” US District Federal Judge Richard Leon told Justice Department attorney John Bailey. “Isn’t that a bit of a stretch?” Kelly claims Pentagon officials violated his First Amendment free speech rights.

Howard County, MD, leaders are drafting emergency legislation in direct response to US Immigration and Customs and Enforcement’s plans to open a detainment facility in Elkridge, reports WBAL TV.

Maryland appears poised to end 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement agencies and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, reports CBS News. If the Senate and House approve the other chamber’s bill, it will head to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. St. Mary’s, Allegany, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, and Washington counties participate in 287(g) agreements.

The Maryland House approved 99-37 a redistricting of the state’s eight congressional districts, reports Maryland Matters, but the measure is expected to stall in the Senate where a Democratic majority opposes redistricting mid-decade fearing it could backfire on Democrats seeking an advantage in this fall’s elections.

This is USAF Sports Outreach Program Manager Katie Spencer’s sixth Super Bowl flyover, which she likens to “… combat operations, where you have to be over a certain point of time and things have to go just right,” reports Military.com. To commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, the Navy will team up with the Air Force in the flyover of Super Bowl LX on Sunday.

Contracts awarded in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., Feb. 2-4, 2026:

OST Inc., McLean, Virginia, was awarded an $81,908,096 time-and-materials contract for systems engineering and technical assistance services in support of the Capability Program Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 14, 2027. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-26-F-A025). (Awarded Jan. 30, 2026)

Delta Solutions and Services Bowhead LLC, Springfield, Virginia, was awarded a $12,956,431 time-and-materials contract for programmatic support. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2026. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-26-F-0039). (Awarded Jan. 30, 2026)

Deloitte Consulting LLP, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $26,187,333 firm-fixed-price modification (P00017) to a contract (FA7014-25-F-0145) for technical support services for Air Force A4 IT systems. Work will be performed at Washington, D.C., and if all options are exercised work is expected to be completed April 24, 2030. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. Fiscal 2026 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,248,473 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force District of Washington Contracting Directorate, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 3, 2026)

WSP-BV Southeast JV, Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $99,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for multi-discipline architectural and engineering design and related services in support of waterfront projects. Work will be performed at various locations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southeast area of operations and is expected to be completed by January 2031. The contract will be funded at the time of award of each task order. This contract was competitively procured via the System for Award Management website, with five offers received. NAVFAC Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-26-D-0001). (Awarded Feb. 3, 2026)

Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc., Sacramento, California, is awarded a $61,068,139 modification (P00018) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N0001923C0021). This modification exercises options to procure full rate production Lot Seven of the BQM-177A Surface Launched Aerial Targets and 70 Rocket-Assisted Takeoff attachment kits, as well as associated technical and administrative data in support of weapons system test and evaluation and fleet training for the Navy. Work will be performed in, Sacramento, California (50%); Dallas, Texas (20%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (5%); Blacksburg, Virigina (4%); Santa Ana, California (2%); Newton, Kansas (2%); Concord, California (2%); Milwaukie, Oregon (2%); Chatsworth, California (2%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (11%), and is expected to be completed in August 2028. Fiscal 2024 Weapons Procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $872,402; fiscal 2025 Weapons Procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $ $3,489,608; and fiscal 2026 Weapons Procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $56,706,129, will be obligated at the time of award, $872,402 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 3, 2026)

Aerovironment Inc., Simi Valley, California, is awarded a $23,956,873 firm-fixed-price order (N6833526F0005) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N6833524G0056). This order is to perform applied research and development of computer vision and machine learning algorithms and related video/imagery processing software, facilitate transition into operational systems, and provide maintenance and support of deployed instances of these technologies. This contract will include applied research and advanced technology development of concepts for integrating computer vision capabilities with Uncrewed Surface Vessel and other unmanned systems to enable advanced autonomous and swarming behaviors. Work will be performed in Simi Valley, California (11%); Port Heneme, California (11%); San Diego, California (11%); Norfolk, Virgina (11%); Dahlgren, Virgina (11%); Centreville, Virgina (11%); Dugway Proving Ground, Utah (11%); Atlanta, Georgia (11%); and Baltimore, Maryland (12%), and is expected to be completed in February 2031. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,812,074 will be obligated at the time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract action was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 3, 2026)