Farnborough Preview: Navarro Leads US Sales Push; Reaper Flies Atlantic To RIAT

Farnborough Preview: Navarro Leads US Sales Push; Reaper Flies Atlantic To RIAT
Farnborough Preview: Navarro Leads US Sales Push; Reaper Flies Atlantic To RIAT

WASHINGTON: No Russians. Few Chinese. The F-35. And the man who has led the charge in America’s trade wars, Peter Navarro, at the head the American delegation, with lots of other senior American officials along eager to boost bilateral sales of US weapons and civilian aircraft. Those are the early outlines of what we’ll see at this…

The Next Pacific War: Lessons From Wake Island For The PLA

The Next Pacific War: Lessons From Wake Island For The PLA
The Next Pacific War: Lessons From Wake Island For The PLA

China’s increasingly aggressive rise puts the Pacific theater in play in a way it hasn’t been since 1945. In this essay, Singaporean scholar Ben Ho Wan Beng and retired US Marine Gary Lehmann look at what a critical but overlooked World War II battle has to tell us about the potential strengths — and weaknesses — of the Marine Corps’s new concept for waging the next Pacific war. — the editors

SASC NDAA Tasks Top Scientists To Suss Out Electronic Warfare Fixes

SASC NDAA Tasks Top Scientists To Suss Out Electronic Warfare Fixes
SASC NDAA Tasks Top Scientists To Suss Out Electronic Warfare Fixes

WASHINGTON: A little known group of top America scientists known as JASON will, if the Senate Armed Services Committee has its way, perform a major analysis of US and allied Electronic Warfare capabilities and recommend how the US can improve this crucial element of warfare. Why is the SASC doing this: “The committee recognizes that…

Israel To Pump $2B Into Ground-Ground Missile Unit

Israel To Pump $2B Into Ground-Ground Missile Unit
Israel To Pump $2B Into Ground-Ground Missile Unit

While we can’t confirm that Israel used ground-to-ground missiles against Syria, a few months ago the IDF established a new unit — on the orders of Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman —  to operate Israeli-developed ground- ground missiles.

Navy, Boeing Tout Block III Super Hornet As Partner For F-35

Navy, Boeing Tout Block III Super Hornet As Partner For F-35
Navy, Boeing Tout Block III Super Hornet As Partner For F-35

Once touted by President Trump himself as an alternative to the F-35, the souped-up Super Hornet is now firmly established as its partner.

French Quick Reaction Force Key To Syrian Missile Strikes

French Quick Reaction Force Key To Syrian Missile Strikes
French Quick Reaction Force Key To Syrian Missile Strikes

Whenever a high visibility military mission occurs – such as the April 13 combined strikes against Syrian chemical capabilities -, observers in democratic countries tend to focus on the glass half full and try to dig out every single matter that might have gone wrong. France is no exception and in the aftermath of the French…

Pentagon: Syria Struck From All Sides, No Missiles Intercepted

Pentagon: Syria Struck From All Sides, No Missiles Intercepted
Pentagon: Syria Struck From All Sides, No Missiles Intercepted

WASHINGTON: In one of the largest coordinated international air operations in years, over 100 American, British and French guided missiles slammed into three Syrian chemical weapons facilities early Saturday morning, launched from an armada of aircraft, submarines, and ships offshore. The Pentagon was careful Saturday to say that the assault didn’t seek to topple the…

Will Israeli Air Force Buy More F-15s Or F-35s; Intel May Tip Balance

Will Israeli Air Force Buy More F-15s Or F-35s; Intel May Tip Balance
Will Israeli Air Force Buy More F-15s Or F-35s; Intel May Tip Balance

TEL AVIV: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) may delay the acquisition of a third Lockheed Martin F-35 squadron in favor of a fast purchase of additional new versions of the F-15. In recent deliberations within the IAF’s high command, the leading direction was clear – -priority for the additional F-15’s while delaying the purchase of…

Aussie F-35A Drives Historic Shift To USAF Focus From USN

Aussie F-35A Drives Historic Shift To USAF Focus From USN
Aussie F-35A Drives Historic Shift To USAF Focus From USN

RAAF BASE WILLIAMTOWN: The unique capabilities of the 72 F-35As Australia will buy are driving the close US ally to rethink and build new infrastructure to protect the aircraft’s highly classified stealth capabilities, as well as its data, Air Commodore Michael Kitcher said during a visit here. The Royal Australian Air Force Air Combat Group Commander is…

Lockheed Not Cooperating Enough On F-35 Contract: Vice Adm. Winter

Lockheed Not Cooperating Enough On F-35 Contract: Vice Adm. Winter
Lockheed Not Cooperating Enough On F-35 Contract: Vice Adm. Winter

JSF HQ: Lockheed Martin “could be much more collaborative and cooperative but they aren’t,” the head of the Joint Strike Fighter program, Vice Adm. Mat Winter, told reporters today. “They could, but they choose not to.” Winter’s comments are not nearly as searing as those of his predecessor Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, who famously said…

SecAF: Don’t Expect Large Budget Increases After 2019; $2.4B Set For Light Attack

SecAF: Don’t Expect Large Budget Increases After 2019; $2.4B Set For Light Attack
SecAF: Don’t Expect Large Budget Increases After 2019; $2.4B Set For Light Attack

The Air Force placed a $2.4 billion placeholder in the 2019 budget to buy Light Attack Aircraft over the next five years, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told reporters this morning.

Navy Buys Lots More Fighters; Ships Up Slightly But 355 Not In Sight

Navy Buys Lots More Fighters; Ships Up Slightly But 355 Not In Sight
Navy Buys Lots More Fighters; Ships Up Slightly But 355 Not In Sight

PENTAGON: The U.S. Navy’s budget is growing by over $12 billion in 2019, and more ships are on their way – but not enough to get to the hoped-for 355-ship fleet any time before the 2050s. In unveiling its $194.1 billion budget for the 2019 fiscal year on Monday, Navy officials highlighted the increase in…

AF Budget: JSTARS Recap Finally Killed; B1, B-2 Bombers Will Be Too

AF Budget: JSTARS Recap Finally Killed; B1, B-2 Bombers Will Be Too
AF Budget: JSTARS Recap Finally Killed; B1, B-2 Bombers Will Be Too

PENTAGON: The Air Force was eclipsed as the biggest budget winner this year, partially because of its decision to begin shifting from current weapons to new ones. The Army, which has greatly increased its commitment to land weapons, increased 14.9 percent and the Air Force is up 14.1 percent. Meanwhile the Navy Department — which includes…

F-35 Problems: Late IOTE, F-35A Gun Inaccurate, F-35B Tires, Threat Data, Cyber…

F-35 Problems: Late IOTE, F-35A Gun Inaccurate, F-35B Tires, Threat Data, Cyber…
F-35 Problems: Late IOTE, F-35A Gun Inaccurate, F-35B Tires, Threat Data, Cyber…

WASHINGTON: Perhaps the most damning thing a director of Operational Test and Evaluation can say about a weapon is that it is not “operationally suitable.” Here’s what the new DOTE, Robert Behler, says about the F-35 Joint Strike fighter in his office’s latest annual report: The operational suitability of the F-35 fleet remains below requirements and…