Radar Sweep
The Osprey’s Safety Issues Spiked over Five Years and Caused Deaths. Pilots Still Want to Fly It
After being grounded for months following a crash last November that killed eight U.S. service members in Japan, the V-22 Osprey is back in the air. But there are still questions as to whether it should be. .. Yet current and former Osprey pilots—even those who have lost friends in accidents or been in crashes themselves—are some of the aircraft’s greatest defenders.
Ukraine Fires US-Made ATACMS Missiles into Russia for First Time
Ukraine fired American-made ATACMS missiles deep into Russia for the first time on Nov. 19, U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian officials said, marking an intensification of the war just months before President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office heralds a potential major shift in course.
Russia Has Suffered Colossal Losses in Ukraine. Is Its Army Depleted?
Russia’s military made its largest territorial gains in more than two years in October, as it pressed farther into Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region—but at a heavy cost. ... It is difficult to obtain concrete information about Russian casualties, which comprise deaths and injuries. Moscow has an incentive to minimize its losses and rarely discloses any information; Ukraine and its allies have an incentive to overstate them.
Panel Report on China’s Tech Developments Calls for US Action on Space and AI
A congressional advisory body is calling for urgent measures to counter China’s rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, and space technologies. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in its annual report released Nov. 19 highlights the Chinese government’s state-led investments and “techno-nationalist” strategies as key drivers behind its progress in these critical sectors.
US Will Send Ukraine at Least $275 Million in New Weapons in Push to Bolster Kyiv Before Trump
The Pentagon will send Ukraine at least $275 million in new weapons, U.S. officials said Nov. 19, as the Biden administration rushes to do as much as it can to help Kyiv fight back against Russia before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Russian Nuclear Doctrine Change Does Not Indicate Imminent Attack, Pentagon Says
The United States sees “no indications” that Russia is prepping for a nuclear attack, the Pentagon said Nov. 19, despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a change in nuclear posture. And while the doctrine change is alarming, experts say, it doesn’t mean the world is on the brink of nuclear war.
AeroVironment to Acquire BlueHalo, Known for Drone Swarm Tech, for $4B
AeroVironment, a leading drone manufacturer, announced Nov. 19 its plans to acquire BlueHalo, well-known for its drone swarm and counter-drone technology, for roughly $4.1 billion through an all-stock transaction.
Austin, Teodoro Convene in Philippines to Discuss Starlink-Enabled Drones, Future Tech Cooperation, China
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin joined his top counterparts at the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command headquarters in Palawan on Nov. 19, where he observed a demonstration of uncrewed surface vessels their militaries are currently developing and discussed other bilateral technology-driving activities that are being conducted from the base.
‘Self-Inflicted Wound’: Pentagon Comptroller Warns Trump Against Mass Firings of Federal Employees
President-elect Donald Trump’s stated plans to tee up the firings of thousands of federal employees has shaken many in the career workforce and is damaging productivity, the Pentagon’s chief accountant warned Nov. 19.
Updating Software at the Speed of Warfighting
As software has become essential to how the U.S. fights and wins wars, how the Department of Defense goes about modernizing and updating that software has become crucial too. Learn more about how faster software modernization is tying the military together, breaking through bureaucracy along the way.
Elbit Sees Demand Growing for Directed Energy Weapon
Elbit Systems expects the Iron Beam system it is co-developing for the Israeli military to gain interest abroad, while also pursuing an airborne laser system, Chief Executive Bezhalel Machlis said.
WWII Airman’s Remains Positively Identified 80 Years After Final Mission
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), in partnership with Project Recover and other experts in the field, has announced that they have positively identified the remains of 2nd Lt. Thomas V. Kelly Jr., who had been Missing In Action since World War II. The 21-year-old from Livermore, Calif., served as a bombardier in a B-24 bomber named Heaven Can Wait that was shot down over a remote bay in Papua New Guinea on March 11, 1944.