Russia plans to gradually increase spending on its nuclear weapons capabilities over the next three years, according to the draft of the national budget currently under debate in parliament. The funding proposal to upgrade Russia’s nuclear arsenal comes as the military awaits new hypersonic missiles to replace its Soviet-era strategic weapons.
South Korea and the United States kicked off a combined annual air exercise Nov. 1, a military source said, in a low-key manner apparently to back ongoing diplomacy over resuming dialogue with North Korea. For the five-day exercise, the allies mobilized some 100 air assets each, including F-15K and KF-16 jets from South Korea, and F-16s from the U.S., the source said on the condition of anonymity, noting that no military assets were deployed from the U.S. mainland this time.
The United States’ “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing pact is a World War II relic that needs updating to better keep tabs on China, the chairman of a key house subcommittee on intelligence told Defense One. Arizona Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego, chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on special operations and intelligence, has added language to this year’s defense bill that opens the door for the decades-old pact’s first expansion.
The world’s largest defense contractor is working with the United States’ largest wireless provider to develop technology for a military 5G mobile network. Announced Nov. 2, the agreement between Lockheed Martin and Verizon comes after the two companies linked a commercial 5G mobile network with a military communications network used by fighter jets to send and receive targeting coordinates.
U.S. Strategic Command announced it would commence its annual nuclear command and control exercise, Global Thunder, on Nov. 2, 2021. Global Thunder 22 (GT22) provides training opportunities that exercise all USSTRATCOM mission areas, with a specific focus on nuclear readiness. GT22 will include the headquarters staff, USSTRATCOM components, and subordinate units to enhance readiness and ensure a safe, secure, ready, and reliable strategic deterrent force.
The commander of U.S. special operations forces believes the global terrorist threat has “metastasized” and that counterterrorism operations remain a requirement for his forces, even as the Defense Department shifts its focus to the Pacific. “The threat—I think a good description is metastasized,” Army Gen. Richard D. Clarke said. “It’s gone into areas of Africa where they could seek sanctuary and where there may be some areas of sanctuary that we have to look at. And when I say it is not diminished, I think it’s spread.”
Cloud technologies are accelerating change at every level of the Air Force—and the Space Force. Whether it's pure computational power to enable autonomy or advanced encryption to ensure mission-grade security, the future of IT is here and now.
A team from CNA, a research organization based in Arlington, Va., released a report Nov. 1 arguing that “key parallels” exist between the issues of sexual assault and extremism and that some of the work on sexual assault “can be adapted to provide a solid starting point for addressing racial extremism.”
The Federal Aviation Administration said Nov. 2 it had issued a special information bulletin alerting manufacturers, operators, and pilots that action may be needed to address potential interference with sensitive aircraft electronics caused by the use of 5G telecommunications technology.
For years, the Pentagon has been required to have two military space launch providers available at all times. But that system means a slow process, with long-scheduled launch plans. Now, with the rise of alternative launch providers around the globe and the reliance on smaller systems, Joshua C. Huminski of the Center of the Presidency & Congress argues that it’s time for the U.S. to change how it handles getting the military’s assets into orbit.
Take fajita beef. Add rehydrated tomatoes and artichokes. Put it in a tortilla. Top with Hatch chile you spent months growing. Do all of this while in orbit around Earth on the International Space Station. And that's the recipe for space tacos. Astronauts on the ISS indulged in a special treat after harvesting peppers that have been growing on the ISS since July. The plants are from NuMex "Española Improved" seeds, a hybrid Hatch chile. Hatch refers to a town and region in New Mexico known for peppers.