Radar Sweep
Indo-Pacific Commander Aquilino Confirmed in Senate
The U.S. Senate confirmed a new chief for Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. John C. Aquilino, by unanimous consent April 21. Aquilino, the former head of U.S. Pacific Fleet, told lawmakers at his Senate confirmation hearing last month that he thinks China is viewing an annexation of Taiwan as its “No. 1 priority.”
How the Military Attempts to Right Racial Wrongs
Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. has spent much of his career flying F-16 fighter jets and other aircraft, as well as commanding all U.S. air forces in the Pacific. Since August, he has navigated a new role: as the top officer for the U.S. Air Force. Brown has been a pioneer throughout his military tenure, including becoming the first African American service Chief and the second ever on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He recently spoke with U.S. News as part of The Racial Divide, a series that explores race relations in America and how to improve diversity and inclusion in a range of fields.
Japan-Based USAF F-16s Flew South China Sea Mission Fully Loaded With Live Air-To-Air Missiles
The four U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets that recently flew a mission over the highly contested South China Sea were photographed landing at Yokota Air Base in Japan, en route to their home base at Misawa. The images confirm that these jets were armed for counter-air operations with a heavy load of live air-to-air missiles.
Leaders from AFRICOM, Air Force, CDC Discuss COVID Response
The African Partner Outbreak Response Alliance wrapped its 10th annual conference last week. Leaders from U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, and the Centers for Disease Control attended the virtual event, which was focused on global rapid response teams and the importance of collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Congested Orbits a Top Concern for U.S. Space Command
The rapidly growing number of satellites orbiting the Earth is causing apprehension, the commander of U.S. Space Command said April 20.
Space Command to Launch Joint Cyber Center
The unified combatant command overseeing the military’s joint operations in space is working to stand up a Joint Cyber Center, its commander told senators on April 20.
Air Force Determining if Managed Services Can Help Consolidate Data Across Bases
For the Air Force’s enterprise IT and cyber infrastructure division, connecting Airmen and Guardians with the data they need along the entire transactional path to do their mission is the focus.
A Cyber Tool that Started at DARPA Moves to Cyber Command
Project Ike is a prototyping effort that once got its start under the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency under the name Plan X in 2013. It was later moved to the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office in July 2019 with an award to contractor Two Six Labs for $95 million dollars. Then in early April, the program officially transitioned to a program under the Joint Cyber Command and Control (JCC2) program management office, a Department of Defense spokesperson told C4ISRNET. Ike, will be used to map networks, assess the readiness of cyber teams, and command forces in cyberspace.
Test Pilot School Looks to the Cosmos in New Space Program
The Air Force’s Test Pilot School on April 6 graduated its first 15 space testers from a new three-month program, broadening the school’s role in educating a new generation of experts in the field as their role evolves.
White House Outlines 100-day Plan to Upgrade U.S. Cyberdefenses
The White House said April 20 that President Joe Biden's administration is beginning a 100-day plan to guard critical U.S. electric infrastructure against sophisticated cyber threats.
STRATCOM Head Tells Hill He’s ‘Confident’ in NC3 Cybersecurity
"If you try to life-extend a weapon system that was built before the invention of the Internet, and then turn around and ask me why it's not cyber-secure—I don't know how," Adm. Charles A. Richard told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Multiple VA Medical Centers May be Rebuilt Under Biden’s Infrastructure Plan
White House officials say the President’s new infrastructure plan includes enough funding to replace “10 to 15” aging Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country with new medical centers, but department officials haven’t determined yet which communities might benefit from the money.
Veterans Breakfast Club Uses TikTok to Share War Stories, Foster Community
The Veterans Breakfast Club is thriving on TikTok, amassing nearly thirty thousand followers on the video sharing platform while sharing content that ranges from deeply personal war stories to lighthearted moments unique to military culture.