ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy plans to procure 96 aircraft in fiscal 2023, down from the 129 aircraft enacted in the fiscal 2022 appropriations law. The numbers are expected to go even lower over the years of the Future Years…
New National Defense Strategy Delivered to President
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Department of Defense delivered the new 2022 National Defense Strategy to the president March 28, the department said. The NDS is classified, but DoD released a fact sheet to inform readers until an unclassified version is…
HII Christens Flight III Destroyer Jack H. Lucas
PASCAGOULA, Miss. — HII christened pre-commissioning unit Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) on March 26 at the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division, the company said in a release. Jack H. Lucas, a longtime resident of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was the youngest Marine…
Israeli Air Force Leader Takes Flight in CH-53K
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — Israeli air force Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Eyal Grinboim visited Naval Air Station Patuxent River in February for a program update and flight on the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter, Naval Air Systems Command said March…
SASC Chair Reed: Defense Budget Turmoil Fault ‘Not in Our Stars, But in Ourselves’
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee quoted Shakespeare to lay the blame on Congress itself for the defense budget legislative turmoil over the last two decades of multiple continuing resolutions, and said budget delays are especially…
Boeing’s Australian-Produced Unmanned Aircraft to be Named MQ-28A Ghost Bat
AUSTRALIA — Australia has selected MQ-28A Ghost Bat as the military designator and name for the first Australian-produced military combat aircraft in over 50 years. Australia’s Defence Minister, Peter Dutton MP, announced the designator and name at a dedicated ceremony…
HII Celebrates Centennial of U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — HII, America’s only builder of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers., will recognize the 100-year legacy of aircraft carriers this week and celebrate the next century of U.S Navy aircraft carriers. Brought into service 100 years ago on March…
DoD Announces Release of JADC2 Implementation Plan
ARLINGTON, Va. — Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks signed the Department of Defense Joint All-Domain Command and Control Implementation Plan on March 15, 2022, the department said in a release. JADC2 is a warfighting necessity to keep pace with…
Boeing Begins Build on New Zealand’s First P-8A Aircraft
WICHITA, Kan. — Boeing P-8A team members and Spirit AeroSystems employees have laid the keel beam for New Zealand’s first P-8A, Boeing said March 17. This process, also called ‘keeling,’ was done at the Spirit AeroSystems facility where all Boeing…
MH-60R Helicopters Approved by State Dept. for Spain
WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department has approved the possible Foreign Military Sale of MH-60R Seahawk helicopters along with support and related equipment to Spain, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said March 15. The DSCA said the total cost of…