Two B-52s arrived in the Middle East on April 23 as part of an increase in airpower to protect U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan as part of the withdrawal in the country. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III approved the deployment of the bombers ...
U.S. Central Command is searching for “innovative” ways to help the Afghan Air Force turn wrenches on their planes after U.S. and coalition forces withdraw from the country, though the command’s boss acknowledges it’s not going to be easy. “The U.S. contractors will come out ...
The number of troops deployed to Afghanistan could increase in the coming months to enable the full withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces, a DOD spokesman said, and it is too early to tell what the remaining contractor presence will be to continue support for ...
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on April 9 announced interim steps to counter extremism in the ranks following Defense Department-wide standdowns to discuss the issue, including updating DOD guidance on what defines extremist behavior and updating questionnaires that prospective service members take. In the ...
The Pentagon expects all Defense Department personnel to be able to make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine by April 19, and that all overseas personnel and beneficiaries can get a shot by the next month as deliveries ramp up. Within the Air Force, the ...
The Taliban targeted Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, with rockets on April 7, and though no casualties were reported, the Pentagon said the attack is a threat to fragile peace discussions in the country. Preliminary reports showed the rockets landed outside the perimeter of the airfield, with ...
U.S. and Iraqi officials, during a joint strategic discussion April 7, agreed to start talks on the eventual removal of American combat troops from Iraq as Iraqi Security Forces grow in capacity. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad ...
U.S. military officials are reaching out to Russian and Ukrainian counterparts as Moscow has sent a buildup of forces to the border between the two countries. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley on March 31 talked with his counterparts in both ...
The Pentagon’s independent commission to review sexual assault in its ranks has established its members and is looking at “big picture” items to change the military’s culture and prevent sexual assault. The Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military includes 14 members, the ...
Extensive coalition and Iraqi operations targeting the Islamic State group in northern Iraq continued, with aircraft now conducting at least 312 airstrikes on ISIS remnants in the remote mountainous region. U.S.-led coalition aircraft and Iraqi forces conducted the airstrikes as part of Operation Ready Lion ...
The Department of Health and Human Services on March 23 asked the Pentagon to evaluate two bases to be used to house unaccompanied immigrants, including Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters DOD is beginning to evaluate the requirements. HHS requests ...
The government’s 70 hypersonics programs—ranging from enabling technology efforts to all-up prototyping projects—are expected to cost $15 billion from 2015 through 2024, and several have sharply exceeded cost estimates, the Government Accountability Office reported. Hypersonic research funding grew 740 percent, government-wide, between 2015 and 2020. ...