News
Russia ratchets up battle for control of eastern Ukraine
Russia ratcheted up its battle for control of Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland on Tuesday, intensifying assaults on cities and towns along a front hundreds of miles long in what officials on both sides described as a new phase of the war.
Biden vows to send Ukraine more artillery as Congress pushes for military aid czar
President Joe Biden on April 19 promised more artillery to Kyiv amid a push among some key lawmakers for a czar to oversee the increasing flow of U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
Ukrainian volunteers recount three weeks in Russian captivity, allege beatings
Volodymyr Khropun and Yulia Ivannikova-Katsemon’s detailed narratives shed more light on the mistreatment Ukraine alleges some of its citizens and soldiers have faced in Russian captivity since the start of the war. Their journey also shows one way Russia has transferred some of the hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners it says it holds to Russian territory.
Business
US Air Force, Boeing lock down design for KC-46 vision system upgrade
Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have agreed on a plan to replace the KC-46 Pegasus’ troubled Remote Vision System with an upgraded version.
Inflation, supply problems could push F-35 cost higher than expected, Lockheed says
Negotiations continue on three batches of jets — Lots 15 to 17 — that were expected to be finalized last year.
Defense
Military sites honoring Confederates can’t be renamed without further action from Congress
The debate over renaming military sites which honor Confederate leaders will return to Capitol Hill in coming weeks after defense officials said Congress needs to approve additional authorities allowing them to make those changes.
Army chooses Sig Sauer to build its Next Generation Squad Weapon
The Army has picked Sig Sauer to build and deliver its Next Generation Squad Weapon variants, according to a release issued late April 19.
National Guard discussing possible deployments to Eastern Europe
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine expected to last months, thousands of troops deployed in February and March have been extended past their initial 90-day commitments, calling into question how long these deployments will last, and how rotations might continue.
New requests bring military’s ‘unfunded priorities’ above $21 billion
Pentagon brass have asked Congress for nearly $1 billion for anti-missile and cybersecurity programs that are not part of President Joe Biden’s budget request, bringing to more than $21 billion the so-called unfunded priorities the armed services and military commands are seeking for fiscal 2023.
Navy’s new shipbuilding plan offers three paths to Congress
The service is offering lawmakers three different ship procurement profiles, a deviation from past long-range plans.
Space Force to launch its first guardians-only basic training in May
The U.S. Space Force is set to train its new recruits separately from the Air Force for the first time next month when it launches its inaugural guardians-only Basic Military Training class, service officials said April 19.
Veterans
One final toast: Last goblet ceremony held for Dick Cole and the Doolittle Raiders
“To those who have gone”: Top Air Force leaders and the Cole family bid farewell to the Raiders one last time.
The post Headlines — April 20 appeared first on Aerotech News & Review.