Shelley K. Mesch

Shelley K. Mesch joined Inside Defense as an Air Force reporter in 2022. She had previously reported on business, technology and innovation at The Salt Lake Tribune and the Wisconsin State Journal.

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Archived Articles
Daily News | March 18, 2024

Space Futures Command's first order of business should be determining the military worth of on-orbit refueling capabilities and cislunar operations, Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton, deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements, said today.

Daily News | March 18, 2024

The Space Development Agency isn't interested in on-orbit refueling for its satellites, but it could drive down costs if it plans to contract with deorbiting services to mitigate risks on satellites at the end of their service lives, SDA Director Derek Tournear said today.

Daily News | March 14, 2024

The Space Force is requesting $248 million for an assured satellite communications new start Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global, which the service calls a "key and enabling capability" of its force design, according to fiscal year 2025 budget request documents released this week.

The Insider | March 13, 2024

The Air Force awarded BlackSky Geospatial Solutions up to $23.7 million for work on Global Moving Target Engagement -- one of service Secretary Frank Kendall's seven Operational Imperatives -- according to a Defense Department notice.

The Insider | March 13, 2024

The Air Force plans to cut in half its purchase of MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters as a way to meet budget caps for its fiscal year 2025 request.

Daily News | March 12, 2024

The Space Force is planning to begin funding on-orbit servicing to increase the potential life and maneuverability of military satellites, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said today.

Daily News | March 12, 2024

While the fiscal year 2025 budget request includes what Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall called "tough decisions" to balance procurement and research, development, test and evaluation funds, the service's real budgetary challenges will come in future years.

Daily News | March 11, 2024

The Space Force did not request an increase in funding for fiscal year 2025 and instead reduced its budget by 2%, even as Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said he thinks the service needs to move faster.

Daily News | March 7, 2024

The Air Force's fiscal year 2025 budget request that will be announced Monday will be "unsatisfying," Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said today, as the service looks to modernize for what it calls "great power competition" amid congressional calls for fiscal moderation.

Daily News | March 7, 2024

The Air Force is waiting on the last test of the all-but-killed Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, and data from the program will help inform the mix of hypersonic capabilities the service looks for, acquisition chief Andrew Hunter said today.

Daily News | March 5, 2024

Army and Navy offices along with some combatant commands signed agreements to use the Space Development Agency's constellations of missile tracking and data transport satellites once the system is operational, SDA Director Derek Tournear said today.

The Insider | March 1, 2024

The Defense Department inspector general has opened an investigation into last year's decision to keep U.S. Space Command based in Colorado Springs, CO, which Republican lawmakers have blasted as a politically motivated choice.

Daily News | February 29, 2024

An independent analysis of the cost overruns tied to the intercontinental ballistic missile modernization program could delay an effort the Defense Department sees as vital to nuclear deterrence, U.S. Strategic Command Commander Gen. Anthony Cotton warned senators today.

Daily News | February 27, 2024

The Space Development Agency won't change its approach to creating the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture in response to reports of a Russian space-based nuclear weapon, Director Derek Tournear said today.

Daily News | February 27, 2024

Two of the Space Development Agency's programs are on hold until Congress can pass a fiscal year 2024 budget, threatening the outfit's timeline for satellite launches, Director Derek Tournear said today.

Daily News | February 20, 2024

DENVER -- The Air Force has fielded 16 deployable computer hardware systems that are a key enabler of the Department of the Air Force Battle Network vision, according to the integrating program executive officer.

Daily News | February 14, 2024

DENVER -- To ensure U.S. access to space-launch capabilities, the Space Force will need to work with allies and partners to use or build launch facilities in other countries, the commander of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific said.

Daily News | February 14, 2024

DENVER -- As part of the Air Force's organizational shakeup, the Space Force will create a new field command to streamline requirements generation for the young service.

Daily News | February 13, 2024

DENVER -- Senior Air Force leaders disclosed that negotiations with Boeing to contract for the first E-7A Wedgetail aircraft have been "difficult" due to non-recurring engineering development.

Daily News | February 12, 2024

DENVER -- Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall's massive restructuring of the service to compete against potential adversaries, such as China, will include a new command for generating capability requirements, a new process for deploying combat wings and elevated offices for electronic warfare and nuclear systems.

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