Daily Report

Aug. 16, 2024

Air Force Reserve Wing Borrows New F-35s as It Waits for Its Own

Two newly manufactured F-35s touched down at the home of the 301st Fighter Wing in Texas last week, as the wing is transitioning from its F-16 fleet to the fifth-generation aircraft. But the jets are not there to stay; the F-35s that arrived at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth sport “HL” tail codes, as they are assigned to Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

How the Air Force’s Moves in the Middle East Fit with Changing Deployments

The U.S. Air Force rushed a squadron of advanced F-22 Raptor fighters to the Middle East to deter Iran from attacking Israel earlier this month. The deployment was a demonstration of the service’s ability to rapidly send military might to a global hotspot. But Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin also sees an illustration of how and why the Air Force is changing its force presentation model.

Radar Sweep

As Ukraine Invades Russia, Kyiv’s Troops Are in Trouble on the Eastern Front

The Wall Street Journal

As Ukrainian troops poured into Russia’s Kursk region last week, five Russian assault troops on motorbikes were zipping toward Ukraine’s front line hundreds of miles to the east. Two of the bikers were gunned down. Another turned back and fled. But the last two escaped into the trees, looking for a place to hunker down and await reinforcements.

Biden ‘Open’ to Sending Long-Range Cruise Missiles to Ukraine

POLITICO

The Biden administration is “open” to sending long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, a move that would give Kyiv’s F-16s greater combat punch as it seeks to gain further momentum in its fight against Russia. The White House’s willingness to give Ukraine the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile comes as Kyiv’s surprisingly successful ground assault deep inside Russia heads into its second week.

AUKUS Countries Update Rules on Sharing Defense Kit

Defense News

The United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom have agreed to new rules for sharing arms—a major step in the ongoing effort to make their defense industries more accessible to one another. The three nations updated their regulations Aug. 15, exempting each other from limits on the export of weapons.

Military Sexual Assault Rates May Be 3-4 Times Higher Than Pentagon Says, Report Finds

Task & Purpose

Sexual assaults in the military might be three to four times more frequent than Pentagon estimates, a new study shows. While the military reported 35,900 sexual assaults in 2021, the study found that the true number may have been roughly 75,500. For 2023, the Pentagon reported 29,000 assaults, but the researchers behind the study say the true number might have been 73,700.

Lockheed Martin to Acquire Terran Orbital

SpaceNews

Lockheed Martin is buying smallsat manufacturer Terran Orbital, months after the company dropped earlier plans for an acquisition. ... Lockheed already owns one third of Terran Orbital from past investments and has a strategic partnership, buying smallsat buses from the company for use on Lockheed programs such as Space Development Agency contracts.

DOD Reveals Strengths, Problems in Special Needs Family Member Program

Military Times

Less than half of service members with a special needs family member reported that they were satisfied with the military program that is supposed to be supporting them, according to a new Defense Department analysis. A third of those surveyed indicated they were dissatisfied with the Exceptional Family Member Program, or EFMP.

What Would It Mean to Elevate the Pentagon’s Network Defense Command?

DefenseScoop

There are currently proposals in each chamber of Congress that would direct the Department of Defense to elevate the organization charged with operating and defending its information network to a sub-unified command. Joint Force Headquarters-DOD Information Network was created in 2015 as a subordinate headquarters under U.S. Cyber Command to protect and defend the Pentagon’s network globally.

One More Thing

KUDOS Gives Military Kids a Glimpse of Life During Deployment

Dayton Daily News

Deployment can be one of the most stressful junctures of any military career. Kids can view the process with confusion and fear as parents are suddenly gone or households uprooted. Operation K.U.D.O.S. (Kids Understanding Deployment Operations) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on Aug. 9 was meant to clear away that fear while having some fun.