Amid Chinese activity, new NORTHCOM chief calls for more exercises near Arctic

Amid Chinese activity, new NORTHCOM chief calls for more exercises near Arctic
Amid Chinese activity, new NORTHCOM chief calls for more exercises near Arctic

China is conducting regional maritime activities “under the cloud of a technical or scientific research, but we think it’s certainly multi-mission to include military” operations, Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of NORTHCOM/NORAD said.

House GOP pile on Austin over secretive hospitalization as Dems try to pivot to Ukraine

House GOP pile on Austin over secretive hospitalization as Dems try to pivot to Ukraine
House GOP pile on Austin over secretive hospitalization as Dems try to pivot to Ukraine

“I understand that leaders have to set the example. Again, I said that we didn’t get the notification right. Again, I was the patient, and so I expect that my organization would do the right thing,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

As Albanese visits Biden, Navy tells lawmakers 4 AUKUS legislative proposals are ‘critical’

As Albanese visits Biden, Navy tells lawmakers 4 AUKUS legislative proposals are ‘critical’
As Albanese visits Biden, Navy tells lawmakers 4 AUKUS legislative proposals are ‘critical’

President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will only hold general discussions about AUKUS today, administration officials told reporters.

There goes my missile: SDA eyes new FOO Fighter missile defense ‘fire control’ sats

There goes my missile: SDA eyes new FOO Fighter missile defense ‘fire control’ sats
There goes my missile: SDA eyes new FOO Fighter missile defense ‘fire control’ sats

The new “Fire-Control On Orbit-Support-To-The-War Fighter (FOO Fighter or F2)” program “will accelerate the ability to provide new fire control options for the tactical users,” an SDA spokesperson told Breaking Defense. But how does it play with MDA programs?

House narrowly passes defense policy bill 219-210, setting up clashes with Senate Dems

House narrowly passes defense policy bill 219-210, setting up clashes with Senate Dems
House narrowly passes defense policy bill 219-210, setting up clashes with Senate Dems

Conservative lawmakers successfully added numerous riders into the final legislation on Thursday and Friday, sinking most Democratic support.

Hill battle over SPACECOM HQ seeps into Pentagon’s annual $4.1B reprogramming request

Hill battle over SPACECOM HQ seeps into Pentagon’s annual $4.1B reprogramming request
Hill battle over SPACECOM HQ seeps into Pentagon’s annual $4.1B reprogramming request

The funds in question essentially are monies that the Defense Department wants to move around from one program to another deemed more urgent — something that happens every year because DoD budget requests happen nearly a year before funds can be spent.

House lawmakers tee up dueling AUKUS sub transfer amendments

House lawmakers tee up dueling AUKUS sub transfer amendments
House lawmakers tee up dueling AUKUS sub transfer amendments

One NDAA amendment attempts to calm potentially rough waters around Virginia-class sub transfers, while the another could reel in that ambition to guard the US industrial base.

Hill defense committees pile on DoD over EW, spectrum ops gaps

Hill defense committees pile on DoD over EW, spectrum ops gaps
Hill defense committees pile on DoD over EW, spectrum ops gaps

The SASC version of the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), “requires the Department of Defense to address deficiencies in the electronic protection of defense systems,” according to an executive summary.

Nukes, helos and amphibs: House authorizers pass their $874B policy bill 58-1

Nukes, helos and amphibs: House authorizers pass their $874B policy bill 58-1
Nukes, helos and amphibs: House authorizers pass their $874B policy bill 58-1

With a GOP-controlled House and a Democrat-controlled Senate, nothing in the bill is final until the last minute conference negotiations are completed, but here are the key issues to watch.

House moves to fund Marines’ amphib following heated budget cycle

House moves to fund Marines’ amphib following heated budget cycle
House moves to fund Marines’ amphib following heated budget cycle

Lawmakers’ add has been expected based on the bipartisan chorus of support for a bigger amphib fleet, but it remains a big win for the Marine Corps.

With billions at stake, lobbying heats up for future rights to Space Force launches

With billions at stake, lobbying heats up for future rights to Space Force launches
With billions at stake, lobbying heats up for future rights to Space Force launches

“Key for us is allowing on-ramps, allowing for some smaller launches to have a chance,” a senior Space Force official told Breaking Defense, in order to avoid billion-dollar “Titan-era prices.”

Navy, Air Force flight stats have been dive bombing for two decades: CBO

Navy, Air Force flight stats have been dive bombing for two decades: CBO
Navy, Air Force flight stats have been dive bombing for two decades: CBO

The military’s decline in flight hours and aircraft availability has remained a hot topic for lawmakers for several years.

NDAA pumps the brakes on programs to track moving targets

NDAA pumps the brakes on programs to track moving targets
NDAA pumps the brakes on programs to track moving targets

Until a program-by-program review is provided by the Defense Department, the armed services committees would limit spending on each one to no more than than 75% of its planned annual budget.

SASC Adds Six F-35s To FY22 NDAA; Splits With House

SASC Adds Six F-35s To FY22 NDAA; Splits With House
SASC Adds Six F-35s To FY22 NDAA; Splits With House

SASC would transfer authority for F-35 acquisition from the DoD Joint Program Office to the Air Force and Navy no later than Oct. 1, 2027.