News
Russian intercept marks a return to Cold War behavior in Europe’s skies –
This week saw a Russian fighter jet zoom dangerously close to a U.S. Navy reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea, the second publicized interdiction this year.
China showcases progress on stealth fighter jet at Zhuhai air show –
China is continuing to show signs of technological advancement in its fighter jets that could lead to further improvements in its own next-generation stealth fighter, according to an air power expert.
Business
Companies line up to deliver Turkey hundreds of micro drones –
The Turkish government has launched a competition to buy hundreds of multi-rotor micro drones, with scores of local companies having already expressed interest.
Dassault withdraws from Canada’s fighter jet competition –
Dassault Aviation has withdrawn from Canada’s competition to buy 88 new fighter jets over concerns that interoperability and intelligence sharing requirements were too extensive, according to industry sources.
Europe’s next-gen fighter jet is stuck in the bickering phase –
The future Franco-German combat aircraft program is set to begin in earnest early next year, but a key project phase is already in full swing: the bickering.
China scales back its biggest air show as trade war forces cost cuts –
China has scaled back its biggest air show as the country grapples with slowing growth amid a trade war with the United States.
China’s beating the U.S. to market on combat drones, by copying U.S. technology –
The mockup of China’s CH-7 combat drone unveiled at Zhuhai Airshow this week looks a lot like one the U.S. Navy was developing — until it dropped the project, allowing China to position itself to beat the U.S. and other allies in fielding a long-range, high-altitude combat drone. That’s despite the fact that—in the words of one expert—the United States had a “ten-year head start.”
UK plans a decade of weapons purchases as auditors sound warning bells –
Britain is pushing ahead with big plans for new weapons even as government auditors sound warning bells over the expense. Stuart Andrew, the defense procurement minister, said the country needs to spend £186 billion ($243.6 billion) to buy new weapons over the coming decade to replace aging equipment and meet Russian threats to Europe.
GSA awards first new contact center contract –
The General Services Administration made the first award on its new Contact Center Special Item Number contract, designed to give agencies a broader array of technological options for their offices that interface with the public.
Defense
Navy completes investigation into death of Green Beret in Mali — here’s what happens next –
A Navy admiral will now determine whether two SEALs will face charges in the strangling death of an Army Special Forces staff sergeant last year in Mali.
Retired general, former Army secretary named to panel studying military aviation crisis –
The House Armed Services Committee on Nov. 7 announced that it had selected a retired general and former lawmaker to join an eight-person independent commission looking into the reasons behind a spate of aviation mishaps that has killed scores of pilots and their crews over the last several years.
DOD drops border deployment name, no longer calling it ‘Faithful Patriot’ –
The Pentagon is no longer using its name for the U.S. military mission on the southern border, military officials said Nov. 7.
More than meets the eye: Army selects next-gen camouflage system –
The Army has finally selected a company to provide it with the next generation of ultra light-weight, general-purpose camouflage.
Navy’s revolutionary Sea Hunter drone ship being tested out of Pearl Harbor –
The first prototype of the Navy’s submarine-hunting catamaran-style drone ship is undergoing testing out of Pearl Harbor this month.
F-35 squadron ramps up ops tempo, tests for combat deployments –
The Air Force’s 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, pumped out 150 sorties in the past two weeks, in addition to the unit’s normal flying operations, to test their ability to operate the F-35A Lightning II in a deployed environment.
Veterans
Number of vets in Congress appears headed down again –
After the Nov. 6 midterm contests, the number of female veterans and younger veterans in Congress are rising but the overall number of veterans in Congress remains on a steady decline.
Democrats gain control of key House military, vet committees –
The fate of an ongoing military buildup, war oversight, veterans affairs and decisions on who can enlist in the service now rests with a split Congress following the results of the Nov. 6 midterm elections.
Army veteran’s family agrees to $2.5 million in settlement with VA over wrongful death suit –
Carol Merritt felt both intense pride and worry during the eight years of her son’s military service.
How USMC training prepared this veteran for a career making children’s toys –
When Donald Coolidge got out of the Marine Corps Reserve, he imagined he’d end up working in law enforcement or some government job that had a clear correlation to his infantry training.