Defense Watch

B-1s Grounded. The Air Force grounded its B-1B bomber fleet June 7, citing an “issue with ejection seat components.” The service said it found the problem while investigating a B-1B’s […]

Missile Warning. The Air Force, which recently decided to pursue a more defendable successor to its missile-warning Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellites, continues to explore what the new spacecraft […]

NORAD/NORTHCOM. Air Force Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy formally took the reins of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) during a May 24 ceremony at Peterson Air […]

Amendments Galore. House members have submitted more than 500 amendments for potential consideration when the full House takes up the fiscal year 2019 defense authorization bill. One amendment, by Rep. […]

Vulcan Engines. United Launch Alliance (ULA) said it has picked the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 to be the upper-stage engine of its new Vulcan Centaur medium- to heavy-lift rocket. In addition […]

No More SCO? The House Armed Services Committee’s fiscal year 2019 defense authorization bill calls for a plan to eliminate or transfer the functions of the Defense Department’s Strategic Capabilities Office […]

Air Force Crash Probes. Air Force investigators have concluded that two mid-air collisions involving two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and two F-16C Fighting Falcons were both due to pilot error, according […]

Markups Begin. Congressional markups of the fiscal year 2019 defense authorization bill begin at the House Armed Services Committee on April 26. The committee’s six subcommittees will take up the […]

F-35 Milestone. The F-35 Lightning II program has wrapped up developmental flight tests for its system development and demonstration phase, according to the Defense Department’s joint program office and prime […]

Trump Troops. President Trump, who recently ordered the Department of Defense to deploy the National Guard to help secure the southern U.S. border, told reporters aboard Air Force One on April […]