John Glenn: 1921-2016

By John A. Tirpak
John Herschel Glenn—A Marine Corps fighter pilot, test pilot, astronaut, US senator from Ohio, and 1984 presidential candidate—died Thursday at the age of 95. Glenn, an Ohio native, flew 59 combat missions for the Navy in WWII flying the F4U...

NDAA Approved by Senate, Moves to President

By Wilson Brissett
The compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act was approved by a 92-7 vote in the Senate Thursday. Because the House approved the bill last Friday, it now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. While Defense Secretary...

Forget the Silver Bullet

By Wilson Brissett
In the Third Offset strategy, Arati Prabhakar wants the Department of Defense to stop “thinking in silver bullet terms” and start “thinking in deeper, architectural terms.” The DARPA director said, “the biggest shift that has happened in technology itself is...

Testing Director Says Pentagon Misleading on F-35

Michael Gilmore, director of operational test and evaluation, says F-35 program leadership is not being forthcoming in an assessment of the program’s progress being prepared for Congress. “If not changed, the existing responses would at best be considered misleading and...

Marine Pilot Killed in F/A-18C Crash

By Wilson Brissett
Marine Corps F/A-18C pilot Capt. Jake Frederick was killed when his Hornet crashed Wednesday off the coast of Japan, the Marine Corps announced Thursday. Frederick, who was stationed with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Okinawa, ejected from the aircraft...

Syrian Army Halts Combat in Aleppo

By Brian W. Everstine
The Syrian Army on Thursday stopped combat inside the beleaguered city of Aleppo, reportedly to let civilians flee while government forces continue to retake land in the city. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the ceasefire will let about 8,000...

USAF Launches WGS-8 Satellite

By Wilson Brissett
The 45th Space Wing successfully launched the eighth Wideband Global SATCOM communications satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., Wednesday evening. A United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket launched the satellite, according to the Air Force. Built by Boeing,...