USAF Experiments with Drones to Better Monitor Russia in the Arctic
Could Trainees Start Carrying Real Rifles in BMT? There’s Interest, but No Timeline Yet
AI Will Enhance Logistics—If Systems Get Modernized First, Vendors Say
AFSOC Will Deploy Ospreys in ‘Weeks,’ But Full Fleet Readiness Is Still Months Away
New B-21 Bomber Now Flying Up to Twice a Week
Space Force Close to New Launch Contracts—But Only If Congress Passes a Budget
Air Force Will Take Lead in Joint Prototype Battle Management Tech
‘A Fine Balance’: How to Manage More Exercises Versus Readiness
Radar Sweep
Pentagon Worries Israel Is Close to Launching Ground War in Lebanon
A wave of deadly explosions of pagers and other electronic devices carried by militants in Lebanon has sharply heightened Pentagon concern about a potential ground war erupting in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Even before the hundreds of widely dispersed detonations Sept. 17-18, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told other senior Pentagon officials in a Sept. 16 meeting that he feared Israel could soon launch an offensive, after months of back-and-forth rocket and air attacks with Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia group that controls much of southern Lebanon.
US Military Acknowledges Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Shot Down 2 MQ-9 Reaper Drones
US Military Acknowledges Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Shot Down 2 MQ-9 Reaper Drones
US Has Accepted 36 Upgraded F-35s Since Lifting Delivery Pause
The U.S. has officially accepted 36 new Lockheed Martin-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighters since lifting a yearlong delivery halt in July, 29 of which have so far been ferried to their new homes. ... The military has not said exactly how many F-35s were built and then stored during the delivery halt, but the jets number in the dozens.
Ukrainian Drone Attack Triggers Huge Blasts at Russian Ammo Depot
A Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian missile facility early Sept. 18 threw up towering fireballs visible from space and thundering detonations that triggered earthquake monitors. Even by the standards of this incendiary conflict, video showing the blasts north of Moscow was remarkable.
SPONSORED VIDEO: SAIC on CJADC2
Joshua Conine, Director of Space C2 Growth and Jay Meil, Director of AI and Data Strategies and Chief Data Scientist at SAIC talk about Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control at AFA’s 2024 Air, Space & Cyber Conference at the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.
AFSOC Still Wants 75 Light Attack Aircraft Despite Congress’ Doubts
The Air Force’s special operators trimmed the number of light attack planes they’re asking for after Congress looked askance. But they still need them, the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command said Sept. 16.
US Wants More Clarity from Ukraine on Possible Use of Long-Range Weapons
The Biden administration still is not convinced that it should give Ukraine the authority to launch long-range missiles deeper into Russia, and U.S. officials say they are seeking more detailed information about how Kyiv would use the weapons and how they fit into the broader strategy for the war.
Boeing to Demonstrate Air-Space Sensor Fusion for US Military Operations
Boeing plans to demonstrate sensor fusion technology that could enhance military situational awareness by combining data from airborne and space-based sensors, a senior executive said. This fusion of sensor data could be delivered to operators on the ground or in cockpits, said Kay Sears, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space, Intelligence & Weapon Systems.
SPONSORED VIDEO: Amentum on Drones and Wearable Tech
Art Boghozian, Director of Business Development for Unmanned and Counter-Unmanned Business at Amentum speaks on drones and wearable tech at the AFA’s 2024 Air, Space & Cyber Conference at the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.
CDAO Unveils New 10-Year, $15B Advana Recompete Plan—but Questions on Implementation Linger
The Pentagon’s plan for re-competing its maturing and widely used enterprise data and analytics platform—Advana—is designed around funding up to $15 billion in contracts to a diverse range of companies over the next 10 years, Chief Digital and AI Officer Radha Plumb announced on Sept. 18 at an industry day in Virginia.
Work Toward KC-135 Tankers That Fly Themselves, Uncrewed Cargo Aircraft Pressing Ahead
The U.S. Air Force is pushing ahead with experimentation that could lead to the transformation of KC-135 tankers into optionally crewed aircraft, as well as the development of other autonomous aerial refueling capabilities. U.S. military interest in autonomous airlifters, an area where China has been notably surging forward in the past few years, is also growing.
Lot Full? In an Increasingly Crowded Orbit, MITRE Studies How Many LEO Sats Are Too Many
Space is supposed to be big, “vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big,” as a wise man once said. But low Earth orbit (LEO), where most satellites now linger, is not as big as it may seem. And with thousands of satellites floating there now and tens of thousands more on the way, there will be, eventually, no room left.
SPONSORED VIDEO: CAE on Training and Simulation
Dr. Jennifer McArdle, Senior Director for Futures, CAE Defense & Security discusses Training and Simulation at AFA’s 2024 Air, Space & Cyber Conference at the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.
VIDEO: Wrapping Up the Final Day of the AFA 2024 Conference
The end of major conferences always sneaks up quickly. One hour, everyone is hustling about, and the next, the halls are suddenly quiet, with the sounds of booths being dismantled and coffee machines packed away. So it went with the third day of the annual Air and Space Forces Association conference, which wrapped up today. ... Breaking Defense Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Managing Editor Lee Ferran walk through the topline trends and takeaways from the conference.
Air Force Stands Up Another Key Component of Acquisition Restructuring
Air Force Materiel Command this week stood up the Integrated Development Office, one of three organizations that make up the new model of requirements and acquisition for the service. IDO will be the acquirer for the Air Force, AFMC Commander Gen. Duke Richardson told reporters at the Air & Space Forces Association's Air, Space & Cyber conference.
The Best World War II Movies, According to Service Members and Veterans
What characteristics define the best World War II movies? ... Sure, any expert on war movies will admit to you that taste is subjective, but the defining World War II movies of the past eight decades all have one thing in common: They resonate deeply with audiences far beyond their box-office success and Hollywood awards. This became apparent when we asked Military.com readers to share their must-watch war movies with us. Here’s what made the cut in terms of the best World War II movies, according to service members and veterans.