Representatives 
from the US military branches and their counterparts from 11 nations recently wrapped up Bold Quest 12-1 at Indiana’s Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center and other venues. The two-week Joint Staff-led exercise assessed how the approximately 440 participants gathered and shared combat identification information, according to a June 15 Pentagon release. The exercise’s premise is that coalition members operating together need to develop and test capabilities before employing them on the battlefield. This year’s scenarios centered largely on how a coalition would provide close air support, enhancing combat effectiveness while avoiding fratricide, said John Miller, operational manager for the exercise, in the release. Among the aircraft participating were Indiana Air Guard A-10s from the 122nd Fighter Wing at Ft. Wayne. Past Bold Quest iterations have helped validate technology that the partner nations have rushed to combat in Afghanistan. Joint terminal attack controllers have also used the exercises to certify equipment they use to communicate with air crews. (AFPS report by Donna Miles)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
