Daily Report

March 6, 2014

Hagel Issues Sequester Warning

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned Senate legislators Wednesday that the Defense Department would not be able to fulfill its defense strategy if Congress refuses to fund the department above sequester levels. Hagel said the $495.6 billion budget, released Tuesday, allows...

Capability Over Capacity in Space

Undersecretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning, along with senior USAF space officials, said the service’s Fiscal 2015 budget request for space focuses on capability over capacity, specifically in key areas such as protected satellite communications, missile warning, weather, and...

The Budget Topline and Long Term Choices

House legislators pressed Defense Department leaders Thursday to clarify the department’s actual “top line” in its Fiscal 2015 budget request. The 2015 proposal requests $495.6 billion, but that number does not reflect an additional request for some $26 billion from...

Space Launch Savings, Sequester Danger

Maj Gen. Robert McMurry, head of space acquisition programs on the Air Staff, said the Air Force has found savings in its space launch enterprise through negotiations with the United Launch Alliance and by opening up some launches to competition...

Next-Gen JSTARS

The Air Force’s Fiscal 2015 budget request, released Tuesday, calls for a 40 percent reduction in USAF’s current fleet of E-8C JSTARS. However, it also provides $2.4 billion over the Future Years Defense Program for a JSTARS replacement aircraft. The...

Wanted, Satellite with Wings

The Air Force is asking industry and academia to brainstorm ways of creating a signal-relay aircraft able to backup, and even take over for satellites if needed. The request for information for the Affordable Aerial Relay solicits ideas for a...

MK Transit Center Celebrates Full Operational Capability

The Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base Passenger Transit Center in Romania reached its full operational capability in late February, announced Air Force officials on March 3. The MK transit center will take over much of the workload from the Transit Center...

Missile Defense Radar Slated for Japan

The US agreed to a site for its new Japan-based missile defense radar, and is evaluating potential locations for an additional ground-based interceptor missile to confront emerging ballistic missile threats, Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. James Syring announced. The...

Planning for All Contingencies in Afghanistan

US Transportation Command and US Special Operations Command leaders recently told House legislators they are ready for any decision the President makes regarding Afghanistan. “The fact of the matter is, sir, we have a plan to deal with every contingency....

Legislation Looks to Stop Commissary Cuts

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) introduced legislation that if approved would “prohibit a reduction in funding for the defense commissary system in [Fiscal 2015],” according to a March 5 joint statement. The Defense budget calls for...