ARLINGTON, Va. — Top logisticians of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and the other armed services told a congressional panel Dec. 2 they are exploring the development of deployable, micro nuclear reactors as an energy source for warfighters in remote and…
Think Tank: USAF MQ-9 Reaper Drones Could Assist Arctic, Maritime and Littoral Operations
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Air Force wants to retire its MQ-9 Reapers by 2035 but an aerospace think tank says the drone fleet should be retained and modernized for new missions already challenging the sea services, such as maintaining domain…
Commandant: Many Unvaccinated Marines Swayed by Disinformation
WASHINGTON — Because the U.S. Marine Corps is the nation’s ready force, the commandant says he is concerned that “disinformation” has made thousands of Marines reluctant to get a mandatory vaccination against coronavirus. With a Nov. 28 deadline looming for…
CNO Creating Unmanned Systems Task Force to Ensure Reliability, Command and Control
ARLINGTON, Va. — Getting the right mix of unmanned air, surface and undersea vehicles in the U.S. Navy’s future fleet is so critical, the Chief of Naval Operations is creating an unmanned systems task force to sort out nagging issues like…
STRATCOM Chief: China’s Nuclear Buildup a ‘Strategic Breakout’ Requiring U.S. Strategic Rethinking
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Chinese government’s rapid military buildup across all domains is a “strategic breakout” from its minimum deterrent nuclear posture to one that can coerce other nations, the commander of U.S. strategic forces warned Aug. 25. Rapid expansion of…
Pentagon: FDA Vaccine Approval Opens Way for Mandatory Military Vaccinations
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine paves the way for the Defense Department to require all military personnel to be vaccinated against the coronavirus strain, officials say. Because the three available anti-COVID…
While Useful Tools, Unmanned Systems Don’t Equal Presence in Arctic, Coast Guard Adviser Says
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Unmanned systems may be a solution for handling dirty, dull or dangerous tasks in the Arctic, but they’re no substitute for a U.S. flagged ship when it comes establishing presence in the Far North, a Coast Guard…
Navy Surgeon General: Outbreak on Aircraft Carrier Paved Way for Devising Effective COVID-19 Response
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The outbreak of COVID-19 on a forward-deployed U.S. aircraft carrier helped Navy medical personnel learn how to fight the virus at sea and prevent its spread ashore, the Navy Surgeon General says. “Our wakeup call was…
After 3 Explosive Events of its Shock Trial, USS Gerald R. Ford Will be on Track for Operational Tasking in 2022, NAVSEA Says
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — With a third and final Explosive Event of a Full Ship Shock Trial (FSST) to go, and after an analysis and repairs if needed, the U.S. Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78),…
Coast Guard Sees Many Uses for Unmanned Systems in the Arctic Environment
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — First sought to extend the reach of Coast Guard cutters in the Pacific Ocean, the service is exploring the use of unmanned aerial, surface, and undersea systems in the harsh and distant environs of the Arctic….
