Pentagon’s FY27 budget seeks 85 F-35s, but most ride on reconciliation
The Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 budget request seeks 85 F-35 Lightning II fighters across the joint force, up from 47 in fiscal 2026. The increase would mark the largest single-year F-35 buy from the Pentagon since fiscal 2022 and a sharp reversal from last year’s reduced...
US soldier pleads not guilty to charges of gambling on Maduro ouster
The U.S. Army soldier charged with winning $400,000 by using insider information to bet on the removal of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to fraud charges on Tuesday. Gannon Van Dyke, 38, entered the plea before U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett’s courtroom...
Golden Dome has ‘pathways to pivot’ if delays arise, general says
The Space Force general overseeing the White House’s ambitious $185 billion national missile shield initiative redoubled on promises to deliver an operational capability by mid-2028, even if it means changing plans and incorporating different technologies to do so. Gen. Michael Guetlein, the appointed czar for...
Second Dive Knife Rises from the River for TOPS
Last week we covered the new TOPS Sidekick Diver, a production model that originated as a winner in the Idaho company’s annual employee design contest. Well, it turns out that the contest had two winners, with the Snake River Rescue sharing the crown with the...
US Navy commissions newest Virginia-class submarine USS Idaho
The U.S. Navy commissioned the newest addition to its fleet of nuclear fast-attack submarines during a ceremony Saturday. The service formally welcomed the USS Idaho to active service at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, after several years of construction, making it the 26th Virginia-class...
All Marines required to follow grooming standards within 12 months or face separation
The U.S. Marine Corps announced that established uniform and grooming standards must be met within 12 months, regardless of medical conditions, in accordance with the Department of Defense’s previous guidance. The statement says that temporary uniform or grooming standards exceptions for medical conditions are limited...
US Air Force seeks $3.9 billion to boost KC-46 fleet
The Air Force is asking Congress for $3.9 billion to buy 15 Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tankers in fiscal 2027, an $800 million increase over fiscal 2026, according to Air Force budget materials released April 21. Annual procurement is expected to rise to 18 aircraft per...
A missed lane and a comeback: Ranger team wins Best Sapper
On the first day of the Army’s most elite combat engineering competition, the winning team made an error that could have knocked them out of running. For a swimming task, the pair forgot to swim the entire length of the lane, skipping out on 100...
US Army eyes a heavier, hybrid-powered Infantry Squad Vehicle
The Army is planning to bulk up its lightweight Infantry Squad Vehicle with a heavier, hybrid-powered variant, according to a federal contracting notice. The service wants to add 606 ISV-Heavy vehicles to its existing fleet of roughly 1,105 ISVs through a three-contract effort, signaling a...
US Navy’s unmanned MQ-25A Stingray notches first successful test flight
The U.S. Navy’s premier operational unmanned carrier-based aircraft completed its first test flight on Saturday, the sea service announced. The MQ-25A Stingray launched from Boeing’s facility at MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois, and flew for about two hours, according to a Navy release. Navy and...
