Unmanned program could suffer if Congress blocks F-22 retirements, Hunter says
Defense News
by Courtney Albon
1y ago
DAYTON, Ohio — A congressional push to block the U.S. Air Force’s plan to retire 33 F-22s could have ripple effects for one of the service’s top priority programs, the Collaborative Combat Aircraft. The Air Force’s proposal to cut the F-22s is part of a broader plan to divest 150 aircraft in fiscal 2023 to free funds for higher priorities such as the B-21 bomber, hypersonic weapons programs and Next-Generation Air Dominance systems. The House Armed Services Committee’s defense policy bill offered a sharp rebuke of the strategy and of the planned F-22 retirements in particular. Not only did law ..read more
Visit website
UK to test Sierra Nevada’s high-flying spy balloons
Defense News
by Catherine Buchaniec
1y ago
WASHINGTON -- Sierra Nevada Corp., the world’s 54th largest defense contractor in the Defense News annual ranking, will provide the U.K. with high-altitude uncrewed balloons to be used for surveillance and reconnaissance. The U.S. aerospace company headquartered in Sparks, Nevada, will demonstrate the balloons’ capabilities as part of a U.K. Ministry of Defence’s Project Aether assessment phase contract, according to an Aug. 10 press release from the company. The contract is valued at as much as £100 million (U.S. $121 million) and comes amid similar investments in the technology from U.S. law ..read more
Visit website
Babcock inks deals to pitch Israeli tech for British radar, air defense programs
Defense News
by Andrew Chuter
1y ago
LONDON — Babcock International has signed it’s second deal in a fortnight aimed at offering Israeli technology for British defense programs. The British company’s latest agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries and its subsidiary Elta Systems is aimed at proposing a long-range radar for the Defence Ministry’s Serpens program. The program, valued in excess of £400 million (U.S. $486 million) is for the British Army’s next-generation weapon-locating system that needs to be able to detect and find hostile mortars, artillery and rockets. The agreement will see Elta’s battle-proven Compact Multi ..read more
Visit website
Maxar to aid L3Harris in tracking missiles from space
Defense News
by Irene Loewenson
1y ago
WASHINGTON — Maxar Technologies will build 14 spacecraft platforms for L3Harris Technologies as part of a Pentagon program for tracking missile threats, including from hypersonic systems, Maxar announced Tuesday. The Space Development Agency announced last month that L3Harris and Northrop Grumman had each won a contract to produce 14 satellites for the Tranche 1 Tracking Layer in low Earth orbit. These satellites are designed to warn of and track missiles launches. The United States, Russia and China are among countries developing hypersonic missiles, which can travel faster than five times th ..read more
Visit website
US Coast Guard cutter tests lethal capabilities at RIMPAC
Defense News
by Megan Eckstein
1y ago
COAST GUARD BASE HONOLULU — For the first time, a U.S. Coast Guard national security cutter oversaw American and foreign navy ships during high-end military drills, including an anti-submarine warfare scenario. The service’s cutters stationed in Hawaii have used naval exercises and deployments over the last year to show how it can punch above its weight while the U.S. Navy implements its distributed maritime operations vision. During the recent Rim of the Pacific exercise, which ran from June 29 to Aug. 4, the Coast Guard cutter Midgett commanded an international task force overseeing maritime ..read more
Visit website
This infantry squad vehicle is getting a laser to destroy drones
Defense News
by Jen Judson
1y ago
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army is trying to integrate a 20-kilowatt laser onto its GM Defense-made Infantry Squad Vehicle that could potentially destroy drone threats, according to both the service’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office and the company performing the integration work. The program, dubbed Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser, or AMP-HEL, would serve as a means to protect infantry brigade combat teams from small drones, L. Neil Thurgood, the tech office’s director, said Aug. 10 at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama. SAIC is the lead in ..read more
Visit website
As Ukraine highlights value of killer drones, Marine Corps wants more
Defense News
by Hope Hodge Seck
1y ago
Deeply built into the Marine Corps’ plan for its own future are loitering munitions: unmanned systems, also called “kamikaze” or “suicide” drones. These drones can remain airborne until a target is identified ― at which point they set a course for that target and go out in a blaze of glory. While substantial funding for acquisition and development of these systems is already built into 2023 budget plans, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps said the service is already making plans to ask for even more. “So, would I seek more munitions?” Gen. Eric Smith told an audience at the Center fo ..read more
Visit website
Army Space, Cyber and Special Operations commands form ‘triad’ to strike anywhere, anytime
Defense News
by Jen Judson
1y ago
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army’s space, cyber and special operations commands said they formed a “triad” to enhance operational capability across all domains. The triad concept is to integrate and converge inherent capability from U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Army Cyber Command and Army Special Operations Command to provide campaign options to commanders globally. “We know Army space capabilities will become even more formidable when used in concert with cyber and special operations,” Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, commander of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said Aug. 9 at ..read more
Visit website
Philippines tries to claw back money after canceling Russian helicopter deal
Defense News
by Mike Yeo
1y ago
MELBOURNE, Australia — The Philippines has confirmed it is in the process of canceling a contract to acquire Russian-built transport helicopters, citing changes in priorities brought on by world events. National Defense Department spokesman Arsenio Andolong said in a statement carried by the Philippines’ national news agency that the government is currently formalizing the termination of the contract with Russia’s Sovtechnoexport for 16 Mi-17 helicopters. “We are also preparing to initiate a diplomatic dialogue with the Russian side regarding matters arising from the project’s cancellation,” A ..read more
Visit website
US Air Force moves to shield Wedgetail acquisition from continuing resolution
Defense News
by Courtney Albon
1y ago
DAYTON, Ohio — The U.S. Air Force is trying to speed up a contract award in its plan to buy Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail early warning and control aircraft to protect the program from a potential continuing resolution that could limit available funds. The Air Force selected the E-7 in April to replace a portion of its E-3 Airborne Warning and Control fleet, a command-and-control platform the service has been operating for more than 40 years. The service’s proposed 2023 budget calls for retiring 15 E-3s, or about half the fleet, and includes $227 million in research, development, test and evaluation ..read more
Visit website

Follow Defense News on FeedSpot

Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
OR