China Set To Beat US, Russia Again In Space Launch Race

China has launched 29 satellites through Sept. 30, compared 27 launched by the US. The US has far more satellites already in space.

Dems Likely To War Over Defense After Election; Navy A Big Target: HASC Chair Smith

Smith sees a blue wave as exposing fissures within the party over “how much do you spend on defense, and what does your presence in the world look like,” Smith said, noting that progressives are skeptical about defense spending and overseas deployments

Trump Admin Sets Allied Defense Spending Targets, Taiwan Deals Lead Way

“If anything, the provocations are coming from Beijing. The bullying behavior…is where the provocateurs lie, not with Taiwan [which is] maintaining its own self defense,” a top State Department official says.

DoD Kicks Off New Hypersonic Program; F-18 To Get Hypersonic Cruise Missile

The Pentagon will retain strict security protocols to ensure “we’re not training Chinese scientists that are going to go help their programs” said Gillian Bussey, head of the Joint Hypersonic Transition Office 

As US Military Moves Into Palau, China Watches Intently

In a recent meeting between the Navy Secretary and the president of Palau, the US signaled a commitment to “enhanced presence here and for more US Military activity in the future.”

‘Very Urgent’ Israeli Defense Minister Visit To DC; Iran & FMF $$

Gantz left Israel Wednesday night for a quick 10-hour visit to the United States after a security meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The chance Trump will not win the US election is driving Israel to try and settle a number of urgent matters and get action on them before the election.

Navy Plans Hammerhead Mines To Box In Chinese, Russian Subs

The Hammerhead mine would be delivered to sites by underwater drones, and “detect, classify, and defeat” manned or unmanned submarines, the Navy says.

Army’s SFAB Trainers Go Head To Head With Chinese in Asia, Africa

Brig. Gen. Curtis Taylor acknowledged that  in the Indo-Pacific, “it’s clear that we are in competition with China in every country that we’re going to.” 

Navy CNO: We Need New Destroyers With More Punch

“I don’t want to build a monstrosity. But I need deeper magazines on ships than I have right now,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday said today.

China, Russia Threats To Drive What Army Keeps & Cuts: Gen. Murray

As the Army braces for a post-COVID budget crunch, Gen. John Murray told Breaking Defense, his Army Futures Command is studying conflict scenarios to decide which new weapons could be kept or cut.

Worried About Chinese Backdoors, Lord Pushes For New Tech Strategy

Ellen Lord said DoD is working to develop a “microelectronics strategy,” to bring manufacturing and testing to the US

AFRL’s Big Ambitions For Lunar Patrol Satellites

“We are interested in technologies to support wide area search, narrow field tracking, and autonomous space domain awareness,” says CHPS program manager Capt. David Buehler.

New Ships In Navy Plan = No ‘Slaughter Across The Beach’ For Marines

The new ships will come from the Navy budget, and “the Marines are not asking for a nickel more,” from Congress, Commandant Gen. David Berger said.

Marine Corps’ Builds New Littoral Regiment, Eye On Fake Chinese Islands

The Corps is looking for a unit that is “very low signature and that give us the firepower that we need to be a relevant force that provides consequences, should we get past the deterrence phase,”  Maj. Gen. Kevin Iiams, assistant deputy commandant of Combat Development, said.