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.
How the Pandemic Is Helping the Military Prep for World War III
A local coronavirus response functioned as a crucial test of a new data network concept intended to deter Russia and China.
Air Force Releases RFI to Study COVID-19 Impact on Operations, Investments
The Air Force is starting a new effort to assess the COVID-19 pandemic's long-term impacts on operations and readiness that could affect the service's financial investments. A request for information the Air Force released May 22 will help come up with a solicitation to potential contractors on behalf of the service's deputy chief of staff for operations, who is overseeing the effort.
COVID, OneWeb, and How the Space Development Agency Has Coped
Space Development Agency Director Derek Tournear sat down (virtually) on May 19 with C4ISRNET’s Nathan Strout to discuss his agency’s progress, the health of the industrial base, and the impact of COVID-19 on his plans.
Space Acquisition: Speed May Not Fix Problems, Critics Say
The latest version of the Air Force’s long-overdue report to Congress on space acquisition reform fails to address a number of foundational questions, critics say, including: go fast to do what; who gets to decide the what; and who is accountable if things go pear shaped?
Air Force Admits 'Persistent and Consistent' Racial Bias Against Black Airmen, Records Show
Air Force officials have privately acknowledged racial bias against young black airmen in judicial proceedings while also fighting the release of documents detailing the problem and their response, according to documents and a study released May 27.
MQ-9 Drone Crew Awarded Air Force Achievement Medals After RPG Attack
Drone operators who participated in a supply airdrop mission over Afghanistan last fall and avoided a rocket-propelled grenade in the process have received awards for the mission.
VIDEO: Two Russian Fighters Make Unsafe Intercept of Navy P-8A Over Eastern Med
Russian pilots flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner while intercepting a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, U.S. 6th Fleet said on May 26. The intercept was the third such incident in two months, Navy officials said.
Three European Air Forces Approve Performance Benchmarks for Next-Gen Fighter Jet
The air forces of Germany, France, and Spain have agreed on a set of performance benchmarks to help their governments guide the development of a next-generation fighter jet set to fly in 2040, the German military announced May 26 in a statement. The document, approved earlier this month, is meant to help officials identify what features from a collection of 10 possible system architectures are worth keeping when the time comes to settle on a path forward for the Next-Generation Weapon System, or NGWS.
Rapid Acquisition & Sustainment
The Air Force and U.S. defense establishment are breaking down barriers and injecting speed, innovation, and creativity into the procurement system. Check out our new page to learn more about these efforts.
How the Taliban Outlasted a Superpower: Tenacity and Carnage
The Taliban stand on the brink of realizing their most fervent desire: U.S. troops leaving Afghanistan. They have given up little of their extremist ideology to do it.
Boeing to Cut Nearly 10,000 Jobs in Washington, More than 12,000 Overall
Boeing announced to employees May 27 a first batch of almost 7,000 involuntary layoffs in the U.S. Added to more than 5,500 voluntary buyouts, that means it will cut almost 12,300 U.S. jobs. Washington state takes the biggest hit: 9,840 Boeing jobs will be cut before July 31 in a combination of buyouts and involuntary layoffs, the company said.
Military and Intelligence Personnel Can Be Tracked with the Untappd Beer App
Surprise! The beer-rating app Untappd can be used to track the location history of military personnel. The social network has over eight million mostly European and North American users, and its features allow researchers to uncover sensitive information about said users at military and intelligence locations around the world.