The Army is bringing back a medal for service in Iraq, coming just as U.S. troops there have faced increased threats and attacks amid the new Israel-Hamas war. Last week, the service resurrected the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal specifically for service in Iraq, according to an internal service memo and confirmed by a service spokesperson. The medal was introduced in 2016 and also covered service in Syria, even as the nature of those campaigns changed and conventional U.S. forces had a less active role in ground combat.
Jordan has asked the United States to deploy Patriot air defense systems on its soil, according to Jordanian Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hiyari. “This system is an expensive system, and there’s no way to provide it with local resources,” he told state media Oct. 29. “We need a strategic partner.” “There are potential ballistic missile threats against Jordan,” he added, without specifying them.
The Space Force is coming up on its fourth birthday, and has made significant progress in establishing itself as part of the national security community. But there is always more to be done. In this new op-ed, former House Armed Services Committee staffer Sarah Mineiro lays out three areas the Space Force needs to be more explicit in supporting.
The U.S. Space Force is moving forward with plans to procure 27 missile-defense satellites for a medium Earth orbit constellation—using an acquisition process that mirrors the model adopted by the Space Development Agency for the military’s low Earth orbit architecture. “We are acquiring our architecture through spiral development, with new capabilities being placed on orbit every two to three years,” said Col. Heather Bogstie, senior materiel leader for missile warning, tracking and defense at the Space Systems Command.
President Biden on Oct. 30 signed an executive order that, among other things, would require the Department of Defense to conduct a pilot aimed at finding ways to use AI to protect national security networks. The EO on the “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence,” gives the Pentagon 180 days to conduct the pilot.
National Guard and Reserve service members are less likely to get their veterans disability claims approved than their Active-Duty counterparts because of incomplete military records and inadequate oversight of their injuries, according to a new analysis from a federal watchdog.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith was hospitalized after suffering an apparent heart attack on Sunday evening, two defense officials confirmed to USNI News on Oct. 30. The Marine Corps did not provide additional details on the hospitalization. Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl is now performing the duties of Marine commandant, according to a statement from the service.
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, known to the world as the “Stealth Fighter,” entered operational service in 1989 with a limited role in the invasion of Panama, but the public became more aware of the aircraft when it saw widespread use in combat during the first Gulf War in 1990-91. Until recently, the public had, essentially, no way to view an F-117 up close. That’s been changing as a small number of F-117s have been released to museums for the first time. … Hill Aerospace Museum near Ogden, Utah, received its F-117 in August 2020, and the aircraft is nearing completion of an extensive restoration.