Under Senate’s Eye, NRO, NGA Stress Commercial Imagery Plans

Under Senate’s Eye, NRO, NGA Stress Commercial Imagery Plans
Under Senate’s Eye, NRO, NGA Stress Commercial Imagery Plans

“NGA expects unclassified space-based geospatial data to become ubiquitous and widely available,” says NGA’s David Gauthier.

Congress Testy About US Arms Sales To Saudi, But Still Lack Votes

Congress Testy About US Arms Sales To Saudi, But Still Lack Votes
Congress Testy About US Arms Sales To Saudi, But Still Lack Votes

A top State Dept. official had a rough reception at the Senate Armed Services Committee Wednesday, as Democrats and Republicans appear increasingly uneasy with US/Saudi ties.

Will FAA Or Commerce Track Civil Satellites? Congress Must Decide – And Soon

Will FAA Or Commerce Track Civil Satellites? Congress Must Decide – And Soon
Will FAA Or Commerce Track Civil Satellites? Congress Must Decide – And Soon

The Air Force can’t regulate civilian satellites. The White House wants the Commerce Department to do it. But Democrats say FAA.

SecNav Nominee Spencer Soft-Pedals Trump’s 355-Ship Navy, Touts Robots

SecNav Nominee Spencer Soft-Pedals Trump’s 355-Ship Navy, Touts Robots
SecNav Nominee Spencer Soft-Pedals Trump’s 355-Ship Navy, Touts Robots

CAPITOL HILL: Amidst a bipartisan lovefest of a confirmation hearing, Navy Secretary nominee Richard  Spencer quietly and consistently downplayed the idea of a 355-ship fleet. The Navy now has 276 ships from supercarriers to minesweepers, President Trump promised 350 on the campaign trail, and the Chief of Naval Operations has officially assessed that he needs 355.…

STRATCOM Raises Spectre Of Offensive War In Space

STRATCOM Raises Spectre Of Offensive War In Space
STRATCOM Raises Spectre Of Offensive War In Space

SPACE SYMPOSIUM: Offensive war in space is one of the truly hot button defense policy issues. Advocates say it is inevitable. Opponents say it violates the ideal of a cosmos marked for exploration and peaceful coexistence. Some say war in space would violate the Outer Space Treaty, which bars nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass…

Lunacy, Bluster & Unanswered Questions: Trump On Defense

Lunacy, Bluster & Unanswered Questions: Trump On Defense
Lunacy, Bluster & Unanswered Questions: Trump On Defense

Sen. John McCain, a stalwart defense Republican, has come out against GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying he shares the concerns expressed today by fellow former GOP presidential Mitt Romney and 65 GOP national security leaders “about Mr. Trump’s uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues…. “At a time when our world has never…

Cruz Wants $750B For Defense: Boost Services, Not Special Ops

Cruz Wants $750B For Defense: Boost Services, Not Special Ops
Cruz Wants $750B For Defense: Boost Services, Not Special Ops

Ted Cruz now leads Donald Trump in at least some national polls. So when the senator offered a fairly detailed military blueprint for his presidency on Tuesday, CSIS defense budget analyst Mark Cancan jumped on it. He ran Cruz’s assumptions and numbers through CSIS’ Force Cost Calculator. What did he find? Read on. The Editor. In…

Senate Votes Overwhelmingly For NDAA; Two GOP Vote No

Senate Votes Overwhelmingly For NDAA; Two GOP Vote No
Senate Votes Overwhelmingly For NDAA; Two GOP Vote No

WASHINGTON: The House couldn’t do it, but the Senate passed a veto-proof vote today for the annual defense policy bill. The final Senate vote, 70-27, included two no votes from GOP Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, both of whom are trying to run for president. The House voted 270-156, with 37 Democrats joining Republicans…

Preventing Asteroid Armageddon: It’s Deja Vu All Over Again

The public experienced a moment of angst in 1997 when it looked like Asteroid XF11 might threaten the Earth in 2028. It didn’t. But that doesn’t mean the threat doesn’t exist or that we should do nothing about it. Asteroids and comets that come close to Earth are collectively known as Near Earth Objects (NEOs).…

Hagel SecDef Vote Subject Of Fierce Partisan Mudslinging; Now To Senate Floor

CAPITOL HILL: In one of the least salubrious displays of partisan rancor in a long time on the Senate Armed Services Committee, the defense policy panel sent Chuck Hagel’s nomination to the Senate floor on a straight party-line vote, 14-11. In a hearing that, at times, had faint echoes of the infamous anti-Communist witch hunt…