Radar Sweep
Air Force General Tried for Sex Assault Will Not Testify as Court-Martial Nears an End
The first Air Force general to face a military trial will not testify in his own defense against sexual assault charges as his court-martial here prepares to wrap up. The legal team for Maj. Gen. William Cooley, who has been accused of sexual assault by his sister-in-law, rested its case Thursday without calling any witnesses to the stand, including Cooley. In remarks to reporters, Cooley's civilian lawyer pushed back on the notion that not calling him to testify helps the prosecution.
To Infinity and Beyond: New Space Force Unit to Monitor ‘xGEO’ Beyond Earth’s Orbit
Space Systems Command is launching new efforts to help Space Force monitor the vast volumes of space beyond the moon and Mars and eventually even farther. Lt. Col. Matt Lintker, who commands the 18th Space Defense Squadron that currently is charged with monitoring near-Earth space, said the service has stood up a new 19th Space Defense Squadron with the mission of tracking what Space Force officials now refer to as “xGEO” space. Geosynchronous orbit, or GEO, is essentially the outer orbit of Earth, some 36,000 kilometers above sea level. The new 19th Space Defense Squadron, with its “xGEO” remit, would have oversight over everything beyond that, including cislunar space, or the area around the moon.
DAF Releases Pregnancy, Postpartum Experience Survey
Airmen and Guardians who have been pregnant within the past five years recently received a survey via email about their pregnancy and postpartum experiences. The survey was sent to approximately 17,000 members and solicits feedback on topics including prenatal care, delivery, fitness, pregnancy loss, postpartum mental and physical recovery, infertility, and postpartum experiences. The information collected will help determine if any barriers to mission readiness exist due to pregnancy, pregnancy loss, or postpartum recovery. It will also shape policies that affect Airmen’s and Guardians’ pregnancy and postpartum experiences.
COMMENTARY: Israel has a KC-46 Problem. Here’s the Solution.
“Eying growing and distinct threats that may require the United States and Israel to conduct long-range airstrikes, both militaries urgently need to replace their aging aerial refueling fleets with the modernized KC-46A. The problem is the aircraft has been plagued by development challenges and delays. The good news is there are steps the U.S. and Israel can take together to avoid further delays and reduce the time it takes for Israel’s Air Force to use its KC-46s in real-world missions once the new tanker arrives,” write Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies; and Enia Krivine, senior director of the Israel Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
10 Deaths in 10 Months: String of Suicides on a Single Aircraft Carrier
On the morning of April 11, Capt. Brent Gaut, the commander of the USS George Washington—an aircraft carrier undergoing major shipyard work at Newport News, Va.—got on the ship's intercom. Two sailors had died April 9 and 10, and Gaut was alerting the crew that those deaths were the eighth and ninth suicides the ship had experienced in nine months, three sailors who heard the announcement told Military.com on the condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation.
COMMENTARY: Russia’s Artificial Intelligence Boom May Not Survive the War
Sanctions and brain drain have had a massive impact on Russia's high-tech economy, and the effects may linger for years, according to a new opinion piece from Samuel Bendett, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and an adviser at CNA Corp.
Indian Government Clashes with Foreign Defense Sector Over Offset Demands
About half of India’s offset obligations, which are worth $13.52 billion across a set of 57 contracts, have resulted in either penalties or the threat of them, Defence Ministry officials told Defense News. Offsets are compensation a buyer seeks from a seller for the purchase of goods or services. These can range from co-production agreements to investments in local partners to technology transfer.
A Sunbathing Crocodile Shut Down the Runway at a Florida Naval Air Station
While about six or seven crocodiles live on the base, according to a January survey of the property, Naval Air Station Key West spokesperson Danette Baso Silvers said they normally sun themselves in the grassy areas off the runways. This one, however, had other ideas, temporarily taking up residence at one end of the base’s largest runway.