In this episode of The Weekly Break Out, space reporter Theresa Hitchens takes a deep dive into her coverage of how President Donald Trump’s “Iron Dome for America” plan is beginning to form. Plus, The Marine Corps makes a surprise shift in its F-35 strategy.
By Breaking Defense VideoEnabling seamless operations across land, air, sea, space, and cyber
The real advantage comes when legacy, new, next generation and cutting-edge systems can work together in the battlespace.
The new aviation plan was signed by the deputy commandant and published Monday, shortly after a new report from the Pentagon’s top weapons tester that identified persistent issues plaguing the F-35 enterprise.
By Justin Katz and Michael Marrow
The jet was participating in a training event and crashed while coming in for landing at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, according to Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing.
By Michael Marrow
With Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy set to co-lead a commission that could recommend cuts to the Pentagon, many previously unthinkable options may be on the table for the US Air Force as the second Trump administration takes over Washington.
By Michael Marrow
This was supposed to be the year that the Air Force selected a winning vendor to build its next-gen fighter. Then reality set in.
By Michael Marrow
The Air Force notched key successes in 2024, but also saw setbacks for some of the service’s biggest priorities.
By Michael Marrow
The Pentagon aims to finalize the contract for production lot 18 by the spring, though a similar award for lot 19 is not planned to follow until the fiscal 2025 budget is approved, according to the F-35 Joint Program Office.
By Michael Marrow
How advanced sensors are shaping the battlefield
Ground platform situational awareness is critical as vehicle crew survivability depends upon it.
The Pentagon should continue to buy and upgrade the Lockheed Martin F-35, Frank Kendall said today, while underscoring that “better performance” is needed from the stealth jet’s manufacturer.
By Michael Marrow The so-called “handshake deal” precedes a formal contract finalization, which Lockheed expects will occur before the end of 2024.
By Michael Marrow
An electrical malfunction crippled some of the plane’s systems, but a Marine Corps investigation still said the pilot was at fault for the crash in South Carolina.
By Michael Marrow
Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet said it was “essential for the health of [its] lower tier suppliers” to keep F-35 production going at pace, even if the company has to use its own money for now.
By Valerie Insinna
Japan would be permitted to buy up to nine additional KC-46A tankers, while Romania would be cleared to acquire 32 F-35As.
By Michael Marrow “Given where we are in that negotiation, we don’t expect to be completed by the end of this quarter, and that will cause an impact in the quarter — up to about $500 million in sales, and potentially about $500 million of cash flow in the quarter,” Lockheed’s Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave said.
By Valerie Insinna
As the US watches warily, Maj. Gen. Ireneusz Nowak told Breaking Defense that Kyiv’s move “spoiled totally the perception of President Putin as a strong leader.”
By Michael Marrow
