Air Force Stands Up New School For Future Warrant Officers
The Air Force took a step closer to bringing new warrant officers into its ranks for the first time since 1958 by opening a school where Airmen will train for the role.
Why Deorbiting SpaceX Satellites Is a ‘Tremendous Opportunity’ for the Space Force
As SpaceX works to “deorbit” 100 of its oldest Starlink satellites from low-Earth orbit, the Space Force is watching closely—a collaboration that will provide crucial data and real-world experience for Guardians.
Humvee Mishap at Malmstrom Leaves One Airman Dead, Five Injured
One Airman was killed and three others injured in a vehicle mishap at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., on June 29. Additionally, two first responder Airmen sustained injuries responding to the incident. All five injured Airmen have been transported to nearby medical facilities, according to a release from the base.
Boeing to Buy Spirit AeroSystems, Contractor on B-21 and KC-46
Boeing has announced it will buy Spirit AeroSystems, one of its chief suppliers, for $4.7 billion, a move aimed at giving Boeing more cradle-to-grave control of quality, a huge issue for the commercial and military plane-maker in the past year.
Radar Sweep
Hezbollah Strikes on Northern Israel Raise Fears that Full-Fledged War Could Be Next
PBS
A drone fired from Hezbollah injured 18 Israeli soldiers over the weekend. It's adding to fears that a full-fledged war could break out. More than 60,000 Israelis are still evacuated from the northern border with Lebanon and Secretary of State Blinken said Israel had “effectively lost its sovereignty” there.
Ukraine Says It Foiled Another Russian Plot to Topple the Government
The New York Times
Ukraine’s security service said on July 1 that it had foiled yet another Russian plot to stir public unrest and then use the ensuing turmoil to topple the government, outlining a familiar tactic that Kyiv claims has been employed in a string of coup attempts in recent years.
Pentagon’s Longtime Rocket Launcher Races to Catch SpaceX
The Wall Street Journal
When the Pentagon needed to get a satellite into orbit, United Launch Alliance for years got the call. These days, the military has a different number on speed dial: Elon Musk’s. United Launch Alliance, the Colorado-based company that long had a virtual monopoly on national-security missions, has been usurped over the past decade by Musk’s SpaceX.
Europe Military Bases Go on Heightened Alert as Pentagon Officials Cite Olympics, Euro Cup
Military.com
U.S. military bases across Europe were put on heightened alert over the weekend due to concerns that terrorist activity or attacks on personnel or installations are “likely,” according to an Army explanation of the threat level. However, Pentagon officials said July 1 that the move to put all Europe bases on the second-highest alert status was not done out of any specific threat but rather an abundance of caution.
SDA Sends Notice to Industry for Next Layer of Missile Tracking Satellites
DefenseScoop
The Space Development Agency is seeking industry feedback on its third layer of missile warning and missile-tracking satellites that will be used to keep eyes on advanced threats such as hypersonic missiles. The organization released a request for information posted to Sam.gov on June 28.
Construction of First Collaborative Combat Aircraft Drone Has Begun at General Atomics
The War Zone
General Atomics is now building its first drone for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program and says it is using components originally made for the MQ-9 Reaper to help speed up that work. The company is currently facing off against Anduril and its Fury design in CCA’s initial phase, but there are growing inklings about the possibility of both types entering service as a complementary team.
The Pentagon Is Trying 'to Be Less Hard to Work with' for Tech Companies
Defense One
The Pentagon is attempting “to be less hard to work with” on data and IT projects, its chief digital officer said recently. One way is to hold a series of industry days, starting in mid-July, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer Radha Plumb said at the AWS Summit.
Next-Gen Fighter Not Dead, but Needs Cheaper Redesign, Kendall Says
Defense News
The U.S. Air Force has not abandoned its program to build an advanced next-generation fighter, but it does need a redesign to get costs under control and better integrate its planned drone wingmen, the service’s secretary told Defense News in an exclusive interview.
As Air Force Deliberates Sixth-Gen Fighter Plans, Much Is at Stake for Boeing
Breaking Defense
It’s no secret that Boeing is in a bind. Regulators are scrutinizing the planemaker’s commercial business, whose woes have also attracted the attention of federal prosecutors. And ill-performing, fixed-price development contracts are forcing the company’s defense unit to hemorrhage cash, despite executives’ best efforts to staunch the bleeding. At least for its defense business, Boeing executives are hoping that futuristic air dominance technologies can help turn things around.
Turion Wins Space Force Contract for Debris-Capture Technology
SpaceNews
Turion Space, an Irvine, Calif.-based startup, has secured a $1.9 million contract from SpaceWERX, the U.S. Space Force’s technology arm, to develop an autonomous spacecraft docking and maneuvering system. The contract aims to advance technologies for engaging uncooperative space objects and facilitating the deorbit of inactive satellites.
Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon 'Perfect' in Key Flight Test of Missile over Pacific
Inside Defense
The U.S. military conducted a successful test flight of a hypersonic missile—a significant milestone in the Defense Department's 16-year project to develop a conventionally armed, ultra-fast glide body designed for precision strike—giving Pentagon leaders renewed confidence in a new weapon system slated for fielding in 2025 by the Army and Navy.
Before Bill Cobbs Was a Successful Actor, He Served in the Air Force
We Are The Mighty
Bill Cobbs is known for his reliable and memorable characters in such great franchise films as Night at the Museum, Oz the Great and Powerful, and the hit series Dino Dex. Cobbs began his acting career in 1970 and it spanned six decades with 200 credits for onscreen roles. Cobbs was born on June 16, 1934, in Cleveland, Ohio, and was raised in the city. He served eight years in the USAF as a radar technician and started his acting at the African American Performing Arts Center and the Karamu House in Cleveland.