Radar Sweep
U.S. Loses Drone Over Niger
The U.S. military says it lost an MQ-1 drone on Feb. 29 near Agadez, Niger, according to U.S. Africa Command. “Our initial and current assessment is that the RPA [remotely piloted aircraft] was lost due to mechanical failure. We do not believe the RPA was lost as a result of any hostile action,” Navy Lt. Christina M. Gibson, a spokeswoman with U.S. Africa Command, told Military Times in an email March 2.
Trump Administration Publishes Memo That Could End Defense Unions
More than three weeks after President Donald Trump signed a memo authorizing Defense Secretary Mark Esper to effectively outlaw collective bargaining at the Defense Department, the White House has posted the document to the Federal Register.
A Hacker Group Says It Has Major Defense Companies’ Data
A manufacturing subcontractor in the defense industry has become the latest victim of hackers, Emsisoft told Fifth Domain. Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Boeing, and SpaceX are among dozens of companies named as victims of compromised data, accessed through the hacking of Visser Precision LLC, a Colorado-based aerospace, automotive, and industrial parts manufacturer. DoppelPaymer, a ransomware group, perpetrated the hack, according to Brett Callow, a threat analyst with Emsisoft.
L3Harris Wins $1.2 billion Contract to Maintain, Upgrade Space Surveillance Systems
L3Harris has been awarded a 10-year, $1.2 billion contract by the Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center to maintain and modernize the military’s network of space surveillance sensors. The award is for a new program named MOSSAIC, short for Maintenance of Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities.
Rapid Acquisition & Sustainment
All the news and insight on the Air Force’s moves to streamline acquisition and accelerate the future. Check out our comprehensive landing page for USAF acquisition coverage.
OPINION: Sorry, Elon, Fighter Pilots Will Fly and Fight for a Long Time
“Despite impressive gains in autonomous technology, manned fighter aircraft will continue to provide the underpinnings of the air superiority mission for decades into the future,” writes Doug Birkey, executive director of the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
OPINION: No, Elon Musk: The Era Of The Manned Fighter Jet Won’t Be Over Anytime Soon
“His proclamations, while perhaps ‘fascinating,’ are actually fallacious for a time when modernized manned fighter aircraft are needed to deter, and if necessary, fight and win,” writes retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean of AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “For the next several decades, air superiority depends on fielding fifth- and next-generation aircraft, namely the F-35 and the next-generation air dominance (NGAD) system. There is no chance some auto-park technology can replace them.”
Vice Chief’s Challenge Is Back—to Save Airmen Time
The Department of the Air Force is focused on working faster and smarter, leveraging technology to give Airmen back their most important resource—their time. That’s the intent of this year‘s Vice Chief’s Challenge, which will allow Airmen to pitch ideas and solve problems related to automation or elimination of menial tasks.
Closures at U.S. Bases in Italy Continue as Coronavirus Spreads
U.S. bases in northern Italy entered a second week of school, day care, and gym closures as the country’s cases of the new coronavirus doubled over the weekend. The number of confirmed cases jumped to 1,694 in Italy, the country’s Civil Protection Agency reported March 1. The death toll also rose to 34, up from 29 the previous day.
If You’ve Ever Dreamed of Becoming an Astronaut, Apply to NASA Now
This is the first time in more than four years that the agency has invited applications for its highly competitive astronaut training program. It is seeking more astronauts for its Artemis program and its ongoing plans for a moon to mars mission.