News
Two Marines, Navy corpsman under investigation in Iraq death of contractor and former Green Beret –
Two Marines and a Navy corpsman are under investigation in the death of a Lockheed Martin contractor in northern Iraq.
Russia reportedly working on a longer-range version of deadly Kalibr cruise missile its adversaries already fear –
The Russian Navy is apparently developing a new long-range cruise missile, Russia’s state-run Tass News Agency reported Tuesday, citing a source in the military-industrial complex.
Are we leaving Syria or not? –
The U.S. military’s three-year mission in Syria shows no signs of ending or significantly changing anytime soon, U.S. officials now say, despite President Donald Trump’s announcement in December that the Islamic State was defeated and all troops would be withdrawn immediately.
Business
U.S. military buys additional Trophy APS, Rafael pushes light version for Bradley and Stryker –
In the U.S. military’s bid to protect troops inside its M1 Abrams main battle tanks from incoming threats such as anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades, the army and U.S. Marine Corps are purchasing additional Israeli-built Trophy active protection systems.
Nine companies will compete for work on the Navy’s giant engineering contract –
The Navy awarded a contract for cyber, electronic warfare and information warfare services to nine companies in a deal that could eventually be worth as much as $962 million.
Turkish ‘brain drain’: Why are defense industry officials ditching their jobs in Turkey for work abroad? –
Turkey’s procurement authorities are working to identify why some of the industry’s most talented individuals are migrating to Western countries — an exodus that could stall several indigenous programs.
Pakistan Army inducts locally developed artillery rocket –
The Pakistan Army’s artillery corps has inducted a locally developed rocket for use with its multiple rocket launchers.
U.S. government shutdown creating angst for defense contractors –
As the U.S. government shutdown continues into its 18th day, defense firms and industry advocates are beginning to worry that the pause in business could eat into companies’ cash flow.
Bulgaria decides to start talks with U.S. on F-16 jet deal –
The deal for Lockheed Martin’s F-16V Block 70 would be worth around 1.8 billion levs ($1.06 billion), Bulgaria’s biggest military procurement since the fall of Communist rule some 30 years ago.
France conducts low visibility tests of Neuron UCAV demonstrator –
The fourth low observability campaign aims to study the employment of aircraft like Neuron against airborne sensors, ground radars, and shipborne systems.
To build stockpiles of weapons, UK looks at two-pronged approach –
When the U.K. rolled out its Modernising Defence Programme report last month, it highlighted a need to increase stores of weaponry to deal with threats from great powers around the globe.
Defense
SECNAV to Trump: Ford carrier weapons elevators will be fixed by summer, or ‘fire me’ –
The Navy Secretary has committed that the service and its industry partners will have working weapons elevators on aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) by the end of the summer – and the secretary’s job is now on the line over that issue.
Pentagon industrial policy chief tapped as Shanahan’s chief of staff –
Eric Chewning, the head of the Pentagon’s industrial policy office, has been named chief of staff to acting Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan.
Committee to study health effects of malaria drugs taken by US troops –
A National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine committee will conduct a review of the long-term health effects of an anti-malarial drug taken by U.S. troops that has been linked to brain damage and psychiatric disorders.
Watchdog: Pentagon let nearly $28B in funds expire in 2018 –
The Pentagon let $27.7 billion in funds expire last year, preventing the military from using such dollars for new projects, according to a new government watchdog report.
Navy quietly fires 20 hyper velocity projectiles through destroyer’s deckgun –
Last summer USS Dewey (DDG-105) fired 20 hyper velocity projectiles (HVP) from a standard Mk 45 5-inch deck gun in a quiet experiment that’s set to add new utility to the weapon found on almost every U.S. warship, officials familiar with the test have told USNI News.
Navy may deploy surface ships to Arctic this summer as shipping lanes open up –
The Navy may follow up October’s carrier strike group operations in the Arctic with another foray into the icy High North, with leadership considering sending a group of ships into a trans-Arctic shipping lane this summer, the Navy secretary said.
First female Air Force F-35 test pilot marks mission milestone –
Another woman has completed a major milestone in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Veterans
Sailor killed at Pearl Harbor accounted for –
A sailor from Massachusetts who died in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 has been accounted for.
Lawmakers hope for swift action this year on ‘blue water’ Vietnam veterans benefits –
Just days into the new session of Congress, leaders of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee have reintroduced legislation to give benefits to tens of thousands of “blue water” Vietnam veterans who saw their lobbying efforts last year fall just short of success.
Retired Lt. Gen. Leo Dulacki, an Omaha native who fought in 3 wars, dies at 100 –
Assigned to the carrier USS Hornet, the young Marine lieutenant was aboard when James Doolittle’s raiders took off for their impossible attack on the Japanese mainland on April 18, 1942. A few weeks later, he lived through the pivotal Battle of Midway, which turned the naval war in the Pacific in favor of the United States. And he survived the sinking of the Hornet near Guadalcanal that fall.