NBC News
The White House on Oct. 20 requested that Congress provide more than $105 billion in aid to Ukraine and Israel and other national security needs. The move comes one day after President Joe Biden's Oval Office address, where he announced his intention to provide more funding for “America’s national security needs” and support for “our critical partners.” If approved, $61.4 billion in aid would go to Ukraine, and $14.3 billion would go to Israel.
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Inside Defense
The Biden administration, in its massive emergency supplemental spending request sent to Congress on Oct. 20, is seeking $1.2 billion to help Israel upgrade its Iron Dome defense system to the new Iron Beam, using laser technology to take the place of missile interceptors, according to a letter from the Office of Management and Budget.
The Associated Press
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Oct. 22 that the United States expects the Israel-Hamas war to escalate through involvement by proxies of Iran, and they asserted that the Biden administration is prepared to respond if American personnel or armed forces become the target of any such hostilities.
The Associated Press
Russia named a replacement for the former head of the country’s Aerospace Forces, who was dismissed in the wake of this summer’s brief rebellion against the military establishment, state news agencies reported Oct. 20. The Tass and RIA-Novosti agencies both cited a source as saying Col. Gen. Viktor Afzalov, who reportedly had been acting head of the air force since mid-August, was given the full post. He replaces Gen. Sergei Surovikin.
The Wall Street Journal
A video analysis by the Wall Street Journal using security cameras and live feeds inside Israel and Gaza shows how a failed rocket caused the deadly explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital.
Breaking Defense
The Space Force’s primary acquisition command intends to award contracts in late 2024 or early 2025 for some 18 “Epoch 2” missile warning/tracking satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO) to flesh out a constellation that can provide global coverage, according to a senior Space Systems Command (SSC) official.
Defense News
The U.S. Air Force plans to fly its first T-7A Red Hawk trainer halfway across the country to Edwards Air Force Base in California for further testing as soon as Oct. 26. Col. Kirt Cassell, the Air Force’s T-7 program manager, told Defense News on Oct. 20 that the service’s first four T-7 test pilots are days away from beginning their familiarization and training flights at Boeing’s facility in St. Louis, Mo.
Defense One
The U.S. Air Force is moving ahead with its plan to build homeland-defense radars that can detect a new generation of Russian cruise missiles—including a search for sites whose total area could cover nearly half of Manhattan. The “initial architecture” calls for the U.S. to buy four long-range radars and for Canada to buy two, said Paul Ferraro, president of air power at Raytheon Technologies, which intends to bid to supply the systems.
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
In Episode 151 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, host John “Slick” Baum chats with aerospace industry expert Richard Aboulafia, Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory Group, and Karl Hutter, President & CEO of Click Bond, a leading aerospace industrial base supplier. The U.S. and its allies are in the middle of rebuilding their air forces to meet the challenges of an evolving threat environment. Hear directly from the individuals deep in the industrial base who literally build the future of airpower—how they contribute, their strengths, and the risks that are in play to better understand what it’ll take to ensure the industrial base can meet demand.
DefenseScoop
L3Harris has received additional funds from the Space Force to continue work revamping systems that keep an eye on objects in space, the company announced Oct. 19. The Space Force awarded L3Harris two contracts worth $134 million for the Maintenance of Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities (MOSSAIC) program, according to a press release.
SpaceNews
The U.S. Space Force is exploring the use of small geosynchronous satellites to enhance military communications networks—either through purchased commercial services or government-owned constellations. “We’re trying to leverage new capabilities from the commercial industry,” Clare Hopper, chief of the Space Force’s Commercial Satellite Communications Office, said Oct. 19 at the annual MilSat Symposium in Mountain View, Calif.
NewsNation
Three drones attacked two separate bases housing U.S. forces in Iraq on Oct. 18, resulting in minor injuries to Coalition forces at one location, U.S. defense officials said. Retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula discusses how President Biden should respond to the attempted attacks in the short and long term.
One More Thing
Colorado Springs Gazette
The defense carried this one for No. 22 Air Force, setting things up for the Falcons to once again carry the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to Colorado Springs. Navy’s offense simply had no answers in a 17-6 loss in front of the largest crowd ever at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. … The win means Air Force can capture the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the second consecutive year with a victory over Army on Nov. 4 at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High.
