Monday, May 6, 2024
Key Issues Budget 'parity' Summer CUAS demo EW in Ukraine
The Navy is witnessing a great deal of progress in the development of Iraqi naval forces as U.S. forces are withdrawn from the region, but the Iraqis will need periodic support from a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and 5th Fleet, told reporters today.
The Pentagon has cut $6.9 billion from F-35 Joint Strike Fighter procurement accounts over the next five years after deciding to push 124 aircraft outside the future years defense plan while it works to put the program back on track, according to the joint program office.
Echoing comments made by senior Defense Department officials in recent weeks, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told reporters today that department leaders are in discussions with Congress on the effects of a year-long continuing resolution if a defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2011 is not passed.
The P-8A Poseidon program awarded its first low-rate initial production contract to manufacturer Boeing late Friday.
Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), the incoming chairman of the House Armed Services seapower and expeditionary forces subcommittee, told reporters today that he does not know “where we're going to come out as a committee” regarding the Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program, but buying at least some EFVs is a possibility.
The go-to-war date for the Air Force version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is likely to slip even further as the Pentagon restructures the program yet again, a senior defense official said today.
Ohio lawmakers sent a letter to President Obama late yesterday decrying the Defense Department's decision to cancel the Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program, arguing the move would devastate the local economy and deprive the Marines of a much-needed amphibious assault asset.
A day after Defense Secretary Robert Gates promised to cancel the Marine Corps F-35 Joint Strike Fighter short-take-off, vertical-landing variant in two years if problems with the program aren't resolved, Lockheed Martin released a bit of good news: Test aircraft BF-2 accomplished its first vertical landing yesterday, the first time that an aircraft other than BF-1 had done so.
The Pentagon will buy an additional destroyer and Littoral Combat Ship, disband 2nd Fleet, significantly slash Marine Corps end strength and kill the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program while funding an EFV replacement, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced today.
The Navy is seeking a family of non-lethal systems for countering piracy, defending moored vessels, equipping convoy vehicles and other missions, according to a notice released earlier this month.
The Navy is examining the possibility of augmenting its two Broad Area Maritime Surveillance unmanned aerial system demonstrator vehicles with Air Force Block 10 Global Hawks, according to Northrop Grumman and Navy officials.
The Navy announced today it will award contracts to both Lockheed Martin and Boeing to develop cargo unmanned aerial systems for Marines in Afghanistan, but only one platform will be selected for deployment next year, according to a Naval Air Systems Command statement.
Pratt & Whitney this week will deliver the first production F135 engine for the Marine Corps' short take-off, vertical-landing variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a company official said today.
The Marine Corps is testing a new capsule at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, AZ, that could be installed on a humvee to transform it into a light tactical vehicle, as well as a “chimney” to limit blast damage from an improvised explosive device, Lt. Gen. George Flynn, deputy commandant for combat development and integration, said today.
A top Marine Corps official today denied a report from the London Sunday Times that Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos was “really angry” over Britain's decision not to buy STOVL JSFs and sent British exchange pilots packing.
Marine Corps officials have “been trying to make the case” to Pentagon leadership for the short-take-off, vertical landing variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the jump jet intended to be the future of Marine aviation, Lt. Gen. George Trautman, deputy commandant of aviation, told Inside the Navy today.
The diminishing ice in the Arctic will force the Navy to make adjustments to how ships are designed and configured to handle cold weather, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead said at the National Press Club in Washington today.
While the Pentagon imposes a review of the schedule for the jump-jet version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter amid debate over the feasibility of a December 2012 fielding date, the service's deputy commandant for aviation stressed today that the larger goal of initial deployment in 2014 remains on track -- and is more important overall.
The Navy has decided to cut the number of AH-1Z attack helicopters it plans to buy from 226 to 189 and increase the procurement of UH-1Y utility helos from 123 to 160 on the grounds that the UH-1Ys can do a lot of the work the AH-1Zs are doing, according to the Marine Corps and Naval Air Systems Command.
The Navy's newest attack helicopter, the AH-1Z Cobra, successfully completed its operational evaluation, a major step on the way toward initial operational capability and full-rate production, Naval Air Systems Command announced today.