Taking the Next Step: The Committee Defense Review—the “it’s not a separate QDR” examination of defense capabilities and needs launched by the House Armed Services Committee in mid-September has set up six more panels to augment its Threat Panel. The new ones—called “gap” panels—will review the current state of US military forces and future requirements to address the threats identified by the Threat Panel. Read the list of gap panels and their members here.
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…