Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on an Air Force Research Laboratory space contract, the A-10 Warthog and more.
A new Air Force Research Laboratory contract allows AFRL to leverage data collected from relevant SpaceX missions to aid officials as they "accurately explore mission sets and cargo loadouts where [the Defense Department] can and should use this capability in the future":
AFRL awards SpaceX first Rocket Cargo launch vehicle provider deal
The Air Force Research Laboratory is partnering with SpaceX under a five-year, $102 million contract to explore the military potential of point-to-point transport -- the first deal awarded to a launch vehicle provider as part of the Rocket Cargo program.
Defense officials had sought to divest 42 A-10 aircraft in their latest budget request, but lawmakers declined to green-light the proposal:
With A-10 divestment blocked, Air Force considers 10-year contract for parts
The Air Force is looking at developing a long-term contract for acquiring parts to support the A-10 after lawmakers in their Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act again barred the service from retiring the Warthog.
Last November, the Army used the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System to attack a ground target using the Army Field Artillery Tactical Data System:
Army missile defense system directs offensive strike in potential paradigm-changing demo
The Army last fall executed a potentially paradigm-changing technical demonstration, lashing up for the first time separate command-and-control systems that are today used for either missile defense or offensive missile strikes.
The Army has designated a certain division that will specialize in urban warfare:
Army division creates course for planning urban operations
Leaders of the 40th Infantry Division found a problem with their January 2020 Warfighter exercise: it took place in a city, but the computer software that it relied on could not accurately simulate urban warfare.
Rear Adm. Paul Schlise, surface warfare director in the office of the chief of naval operations (N96), recently said the Distributed Offensive Surface Fires Analysis of Alternatives study, formally launched a year ago, is nearing completion:
Navy now eyeing April for LUSV analysis of alternatives completion
The Navy has pushed the target completion date for a mandated study -- exploring potential alternatives to a fleet of Large Unmanned Surface Vessels that include commercial ships and amphibious warships packed with long-range missiles -- until spring, a delay of more than six months compared to the project's original goal.