Subsequent to our entry last week on President Obama approving the new unified command plan, the Defense Department has issued the map reflecting the revised areas of responsibilities for the US combatant commands that are reflected in the revised document. Among the revisions, responsibility for the Arctic region is now shared between US Northern Command and US European Command, rather than NORTHCOM, EUCOM, and US Pacific Command as was the case in the previous plan from 2008. NORTHCOM also has responsibility to advocate for Arctic capabilities. Further, Alaska now falls under NORTHCOM instead of Northern Command and PACOM. (DOD release) (UCP 2011 map; caution, large-sized file.)
There is a new entrant in the highly competitive field of collaborative combat aircraft—semi-autonomous drones meant to fly alongside manned combat aircraft. Northrop Grumman unveiled its new Project Talon aircraft to a small group of reporters at the facilities of its subsidiary Scaled Composites.
