Air Force completes first-ever CCA live-fire test with Anduril YFQ-44A
The U.S. Air Force recently conducted its first-ever live-fire test out of the unmanned, semiautonomous aircraft dubbed “loyal wingmen.” The Anduril-made YFQ-44A executed an end-to-end, beyond-line-of-sight strike against a simulated target during a live-fire test at Edwards Air Force Base, California, according to a company...
Panel to study Pentagon’s COVID vaccine mandate, troops dismissal
The Department of Defense plans to convene a panel to study its mid-2021 decision to require the COVID-19 vaccine for all service members and the circumstances that led to the dismissal of more than 8,400 troops who refused the shots. The Pentagon announced Wednesday that...
Top House Democrat calls to split veterans omnibus, advance Major Richard Star Act
As supporters of the Taking Care of America’s Veterans Act defend the legislation as the best chance in years to pass more than 60 veterans bills, the committee’s top Democrat says Congress should be prepared to abandon the omnibus altogether if lawmakers cannot agree on...
US launches new round of strikes against Iran
The U.S. conducted a new wave of strikes against Iran’s coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Wednesday after reimposing a naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran threatened to shut off more regional energy exports. The strikes mark the latest...
First the coast guard, then an ICBM: China tests new, long-term ways to hold off rivals in Asia
NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan — China sent coast guard vessels to patrol the Pacific Ocean east of Taiwan in June and weeks later test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile from the South China Sea to the Pacific. While the two maneuvers answered different security-related activities by...
Pressure mounts on US defense executives to boost weapons production
CARLISLE, Pennsylvania — President Donald Trump is expected to urge top defense executives on Wednesday to accelerate weapons production and expand manufacturing capacity as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East strain U.S. stockpiles and expose bottlenecks in the nation’s industrial base. Trump is scheduled...
Transgender troops look back on their ban as it’s set to end
Transgender service members are on the precipice of being allowed back into the military after a federal court ruled that the Trump administration’s ban against them was unlawful. As troops look toward a future when their service might be welcome once again, individuals affected by...
The US Navy is eyeing next-gen carrier-based drones. Here’s what they might do.
The U.S. Navy is looking for a family of carrier-based drones that can fulfill a variety of missions, according to a July 14 Request for Information. The sea service “is exploring the industrial base’s capacity to deliver highly capable, autonomous platforms optimized for operations from...
Air Force UH-1N helicopter makes emergency landing in DC after crew hears vibrations in flight
A U.S. Air Force helicopter conducted an emergency landing in Northwest Washington, D.C., late Monday night after its crew heard vibrations while in flight. The aircrew of a UH-1N helicopter assigned to the 1st Helicopter Squadron, located at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, made the precautionary...
4,000 troops lose air conditioning in Hawaii
Mechanical problems with a water treatment plant in Hawaii have left thousands of soldiers without central air conditioning in the barracks, a spokesman for U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii confirmed Tuesday in a statement to Military Times. Four thousand soldiers in Area North Barracks are opening...
