F-22 Pilot Controls ‘CCA Surrogate’ Drone from Cockpit
An F-22 pilot controlled an MQ-20 drone from the fighter’s cockpit last month, General Atomics announced Nov. 17—a preview of the Air Force’s vision for Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
Trump Says US Will Sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia
President Donald Trump said he plans to sell F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, announcing his decision Nov. 17, a day before he meets the country’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.
Air Force Set to Evaluate New Industry Offerings for Low-Cost Missiles
The Air Force is poised to begin evaluating a new class of low-cost missiles needed to defeat the rapid growth of aerial threats it’s likely to face in the next conflict.
Pentagon Eyes New Manufacturing Tech to Bolster Strained Space Supply Chain
Amid growing concern about supply chain issues, the Pentagon’s commercial innovation hub is seeking companies with advanced manufacturing expertise to help bolster the space industrial base.
Radar Sweep
UN Security Council Approves Trump Plan for Gaza Security Force
Axios
The UN Security Council on Nov. 17 approved a U.S.-led resolution to establish an international stabilization force to deploy to Gaza for at least two years.
F-47 Program’s Accelerated Pace Made Possible by NGAD X-Plane Efforts
The War Zone
With the first example of Boeing’s F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter for the U.S. Air Force now in production, a company official has highlighted how its prototyping effort allowed the program to move forward at a rapid pace.
Top US Admiral Says He’s Watching China’s Rapid Naval Buildup Closely
The Associated Press
The top U.S. admiral on Nov. 17 called China ‘s shipbuilding capability “impressive” as Beijing moves ahead with a rapid buildup of the world’s largest navy, and said America’s cooperation with Asian allies South Korea and Japan is essential for its own shipbuilding capability.
Trump Says He Would Be ‘OK’ Launching Strikes in Mexico to Fight Drug Smuggling
NBC News
President Donald Trump opened the door Nov. 17 to launching U.S. strikes in Mexico, a move that would be a dramatic escalation of his administration’s fight against drug cartels.
France Wants to Build Jet Fighters for Ukraine. Neither Has the Cash.
The Wall Street Journal
France is touting a plan to reinforce Ukraine’s air power over the next decade with new jet fighters and missile-defense systems, but a major question remains unsettled: Who will pay for it?
US to Designate Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as Terrorist Group
The Hill
The United States will designate Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday, amid heightened tensions between the two countries. In a statement, Rubio said the group is run by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whose government the U.S. has called “illegitimate.”
Marines Send Reaper Drone Unit to South China Sea
Task & Purpose
The Marine Corps sent a unit of MQ-9A Reaper drones to the Philippines to support reconnaissance operations in the South China Sea. The Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1, based out of Arizona under the command of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, deployed multiple MQ-9A Reapers this month.
From Lasers to Logistics: Pentagon CTO Announces Top Six Tech Priorities
Breaking Defense
Pentagon research chief Emil Michael formally announced a previously promised purge of tech priorities. By slashing a Biden-era list of “critical technology areas” in half, Michael aims to focus resources on key R&D projects and accelerate them into “sprints” that produce usable technology in three years or less.
US Arms Deal Still Up in the Air After Hegseth Visit to Vietnam
Defense News
Despite U.S. interest in deeper military ties with Vietnam, the Nov. 2 visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during which he met Communist Party leader To Lam and Defense Minister Phan Van Giang, did not yield an expected announcement on arms sales.
Pentagon Vulnerable to Malicious Use of Publicly Available Info, GAO Finds
Stars and Stripes
The Pentagon’s missions and personnel are increasingly vulnerable to “malicious actors” who can disrupt operations by aggregating digital information from data brokers, websites and other sources, a government watchdog concluded in a report issued Nov. 17.
This Intrepid Pilot Went from Zero to Ace in 13 Minutes
We Are The Mighty
Navy Lt. J.G. Alfred Lerch had a relatively short career for a naval aviator, earning his naval wings in 1944 and serving aboard the USS Intrepid in 1945 with, as he described it, only one “really good crack at” the Imperial Japanese Navy. But in that good crack, on April 16, 1945, Alfred Lerch went from zero enemy downs to seven in just 13 minutes, making him one of the fastest fighter aces of all time.
