Radar Sweep
Snapshot: DOD and COVID-19
Here's a look at how the Defense Department is being impacted by and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New US Threats to Iraq Widen Rifts, Leave PM Exposed
Enraged by near-daily attacks on its interests in Iraq, Washington has threatened to close its embassy in Baghdad, in a blow to a premier seen as a bulwark against Iran.
Carrier-Launched Airstrikes Hit ISIS Targets in Iraq as USS Nimitz Patrols Persian Gulf
For the first time in over two years, carrier-launched U.S. aircraft conducted an airstrike against Islamic State group targets in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the global coalition battling the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria. A pair of Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets from Carrier Air Wing 17, embarked on the USS Nimitz, conducted the strikes on Sept. 23, Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich, a spokeswoman for the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, confirmed via email on Sept. 28.
DOD Seeks Legislative Help for ICBM Replacement Construction Costs
The Defense Department hopes Congress will approve a change in how it funds the next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile in order to avoid what the department views as unnecessary contract bureaucracy. Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, Pentagon acquisition head Ellen M. Lord said the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program was moving along as planned, but she indicated that a military construction issue remains unsolved.
USS Vinson Flies F-35s & Quietly Readies for New Refueling Drone
Headlines have celebrated the carrier's new F-35s—but the Navy also added upgrades to the Vinson for the MQ-25 refueling drone, which could be a game-changer for future ops.
General Atomics' Sparrowhawk Drone-Launched Drone Breaks Cover
This low-cost unmanned demonstrator could give larger drones, such as the MQ-9 Reaper, game-changing new capabilities.
X-Chimera VTOL UAV Seen in PLAAF Airborne Corps Exercise
Chinese state-owned television has released video footage showing what appears to be the X-Chimera vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle being used by a brigade of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps: an indication that the twin-tailboom UAV is either being tested or is already in service with the corps.
Full Coverage of AFA's Virtual Air, Space & Cyber Conference
The conference has passed, but our coverage continues. For a comprehensive look at everything that happened, visit our vASC landing page.
Swiss Voters Approve $6.5 Billion Purchase of Fighter Jets
Swiss voters backed the government’s plan to spend up to 6 billion Swiss francs ($6.46 billion) on new fighter jets in a surprisingly close referendum that was won with a 50.2 percent majority, official results showed on Sept. 27. Opinion polls had shown the plan would easily win approval in a country where armed neutrality is a tradition.
The JADC2 Revolution
U.S. forces are redefining joint operations to be more tightly integrated. Joint all-domain command and control (JADC2) accelerates the speed and complexity of warfare by tying forces together across the air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains. For the latest on what this means to operators and the industry, check out our JADC2 landing page.
Probe into ‘Discarded’ Military Ballots Becomes Campaign Outrage Fuel
The news release from a U.S. attorney in Pennsylvania was provocative: Nine mailed-in military ballots had been “discarded” by the local election office in a swing county of one of the most important presidential battleground states.
Weather Forces Scrub of Arsenal of Democracy D.C. Flyover, No Event Reschedule This Year
The 2020 Arsenal of Democracy World War II flyover event was cancelled due to weather. Officials tell Military Times the event, originally scheduled for May but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, won’t be rescheduled again this year. However, organizers may try again next year.
Air Force Veteran Uses Sculpting to Teach Others about Black History
Air Force veteran Ed Dwight, 87, says he was in his 40s when he first found out about civil rights icons like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. He blended his learning with art to create sculptures to teach others and memorialize history.