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.
OPINION: Stop the Budgetary Bleeding to Get the Air Force We Need
“The time has come to openly articulate what is required to meet national security requirements,” writes Douglas Birkey, executive director of the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “That is what the 386 operational squadron goal is all about. It comes down to acknowledging what Airmen will need to fly into harm’s way, get the job done, and come home safe. This takes both capability and capacity. It is time to rebuild the Air Force we need.”
In Call with Troops, Trump Basks in Space Force Achievement
During a video teleconference with members of the military on his last Thanksgiving as Commander in Chief, President Donald J. Trump touted his efforts to establish the Space Force, calling the newest branch of the armed services “a very important thing to me.” Trump spoke Nov. 26 from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room with officers representing units from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
Readout of Acting Secretary of Defense’s Visit with U.S. Troops and Contractors in Djibouti and Somalia
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller celebrated Thanksgiving with U.S. military personnel and contractors at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, and in Mogadishu, Somalia. He recognized their commitment to mission and relayed his gratitude for the sacrifices they and their families make to protect the freedoms we enjoy and the American way of life.
Climate Change, Terrorism Top List of Challenges Facing US Military
The Defense Department Inspector General's annual list of challenges for the military in the coming year features a newcomer: the long-term threat to installations and operations from climate change.
The DODIG Outlined the Pentagon’s Top Challenges. Here’s Where Tech Fits In.
Two new challenges added this year focus on technological dominance and data as a strategic asset. Tech like hypersonics, microelectronics, AI, 5G, and biotechnology were also highlighted.
Pentagon's AI Ethical Priorities to Be Embedded into Its Coming Data and Development Platform
The JAIC’s new director recently offered fresh details on the joint common foundation.
Joint All-Domain Awareness
Get a better sense of the drive for greater connectedness between air, space, cyber, land, and maritime forces. Catch up on all-things JADC2 now.
Mitchell Institute Launches ‘Aerospace Advantage’ Podcast
AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will release the first in a new podcast series titled “The Aerospace Advantage” on Nov. 30. Hosted by former Air Force Weapons School instructor and Thunderbird pilot retired Lt. Col. John “Slick” Baum, the series will delve into all aspects of air and space warfare, emphasizing firsthand accounts from current experts in the field.
Northrop Grumman Awarded $4.8B for Global Hawk Development, Modernization, Retrofit, and Sustainment
The 10-year award, announced by the Defense Department on Nov. 25, covers activities for all U.S. Air Force Global Hawk variants, and will run through Sept. 30, 2030.
Court Overturns Ruling that Germany Must Press US on Drones
Germany’s top administrative court has ruled the country’s government can’t be forced to ensure that U.S. drone strikes controlled via an American military base on German territory are in line with international law.
Podcast: Military Aircraft Opportunities in Europe
In addition to a planned uptick in defense spending in the UK, nations across Europe are planning to overhaul their fighter fleets in the coming decade.
Guard Chaplains Reflect on Floyd Protests, Lessons Learned
National Guard troops were deployed during this summer’s widespread unrest over racial injustice following George Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis, and again this fall in the city as a surge in violent crime collided with heated debate over law enforcement and race. Now the chaplains say they’re working on two main lessons learned from those tumultuous times: Building bridges within tense communities and bringing faith-grounded calm and comfort to the front lines whenever they may be mobilized again—possibly as soon as next March, when the officers charged in Floyd’s killing go on trial.
Take a Look at This Documentary about the Skunk Works’ History and the Birth of the SR-71 Blackbird
Back in 2015, it was decided to move the SR-71 Blackbird exhibited at the Virginia Aviation Museum, which was about to close a year later, to the new gallery of the Science Museum of Virginia to “inspire the future of invention”. The story of the Blackbird is, in fact, still taught today as a roadmap to true innovation. Producer Todd Hervey, after learning about the museum’s plans, decided to document the move and tell the story of the innovation brought by the SR-71 and the Skunk Works.