Air Force Times
Two months into his new job as the Air Force’s acquisition chief, Andrew Hunter has no shortage of challenges on his plate. The COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine have stretched vital supply chains to their breaking point. The Air Force is arguing with a key contractor over a program that continues to be delayed. And the service is facing tight timelines as it works to develop and field new capabilities in time for a potential major war.
Defense One
NATO will grow its quick reaction force nearly tenfold, to “well over 300,000” troops, to better protect the alliance’s eastern front in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg announced. The alliance is expected to formally adopt the change at its summit in Madrid, where leaders will also approve a new strategic document for the next 10 years, discuss a boost in defense spending, and approve more aid for Ukraine.
Politico
The Senate has signed off on President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead U.S. forces in Europe and be NATO’s top commander. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli was confirmed as the U.S. and European allies work to help Ukraine blunt Russia’s offensive and NATO looks to expand to include Sweden and Finland in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Task & Purpose
Despite viral tweets claiming otherwise, the Pentagon is not defying the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said he was “committed to taking care of our people” and that the Pentagon is “examining this decision closely and evaluating our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law.”
The Associated Press
An Air Force ROTC cadet from Alaska died in an accident involving a Humvee during a training exercise in Idaho, Mountain Home Air Force Base said June 26. Mackenzie Wilson, 19, a cadet at Oregon State University, died of injuries sustained in the accident June 24. She was from Eagle River, Alaska, officials said.
Defense News
Russia will provide nuclear-capable Iskander-M missiles to Belarus and upgrade the country’s fighter jets to allow them to carry tactical atomic weapons, President Vladimir Putin said. A “decision was made in our country: Within the next several months, we will transfer to Belarus the Iskander-M tactical missile systems, which are known to use both ballistic and cruise missiles, both conventional and nuclear,” Putin said June 25 following a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko.
Military.com
A fight over whether women should be required to register for a potential draft has been revived in Congress. Last year, Congress appeared on the precipice of making women register with what's formally called the Selective Service System, but the idea was dropped from the defense policy bill signed into law after closed-door House-Senate negotiations despite having bipartisan support. Now, the proposal is back in the version of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, making its way through the Senate.
Breaking Defense
A top-level agreement on how to begin the handover of responsibility for monitoring the heavens from U.S. Space Command to the Commerce Department is expected to be finalized by the end of August, according to government officials. That agreement—to be signed by Gen. James H. Dickinson, SPACECOM commander; Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond, Chief of Space Operations; and Richard W. Spinrad, Commerce undersecretary for oceans and atmosphere—is designed as a framework and thus will be light on details.
Collins Aerospace
In the days before the Air Force was an independent service, when it was still part of the U.S. Army, companies like Collins, Goodrich, Hamilton, and Sundstrand filled the skies. That shared legacy still ties today’s U.S. Air Force to Collins Aerospace, a modern company built on a long historic legacy of shared innovation.
Federal News Network
This year’s Secretary of Defense Environmental Award winner in the environmental quality individual team category went to the Air Force Radioactive Recycling and Disposal Team. As part of the 88th Civil Engineer Group, AFFRAD handles low-level radioactive recycling and low-level mixed waste management in the Air Force and provides radioactive material recycling for the entire Defense Department.
Breaking Defense
As the Space Force begins planning for the next round of contracting for national security launch services beyond 2027, action on Capitol Hill is heating up—with industry lobbying emerging into the public eye. At stake: billions of dollars and years of guaranteed business for winning launch providers under the service’s National Security Space Launch program when the current Phase 2 is wrapped up in 2025. Space Force intends to open bidding for Phase 3 in fiscal 2024.
One More Thing
KUTV
After multiple years away from the Utah skies, and amid some issues getting spectators into the event, the Warriors Over the Wasatch Air & Space Show returned to Hill Air Force Base. Here are some favorite photos from the event.
