Space Forces Europe and Africa Elevated to One-Star Command, Gets New Boss
Weather Ops: The Air Force’s Next Great Weapon?
How the Air Force’s Moves in the Middle East Fit with Changing Deployments
Radar Sweep
Gaza Cease-Fire Talks Underway in Qatar Without Hamas in Attendance
Negotiations over a Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal, framed by U.S. officials as a “final stage” bid to end the conflict, resumed Aug. 15, as local health authorities said the Palestinian death toll in Gaza has passed 40,000.
Kirtland Air Force Base Locked and Loaded with New Aerial Gunnery
Roughly a 20-minute drive on Kirtland Air Force Base leads to a small, two-story storage unit tucked within the mountains. It's the first ever aerial gunnery live-fire training facility, overseen by the 58th Special Operation Wing.
As Ukraine Invades Russia, Kyiv’s Troops Are in Trouble on the Eastern Front
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
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.
Pentagon Needs to Speed Up Its Integrated Deterrence Efforts, Joint Chiefs Chair Says
The U.S. government needs to be quicker about rolling out new integrated deterrence efforts, the Pentagon’s top military officer says, as global tensions have risen since the Biden administration made the concept a key part of its national security strategy.
AUKUS Countries Update Rules on Sharing Defense Kit
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
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
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.
Lawmakers Ask Pentagon Leaders to Commit to Keeping the Military Out of Politics and the Election
Members of Congress are pressing the Pentagon’s top two leaders to ensure the military is not swept up in politics during the presidential election and that Active-duty troops are not used illegally as a domestic police force.
DOD Reveals Strengths, Problems in Special Needs Family Member Program
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?
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.
KUDOS Gives Military Kids a Glimpse of Life During Deployment
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.