Defense Watch

Afghan A-29s. The Afghan Air Force (AAF), which currently has 12 Embraer/Sierra Nevada Corp. A-29 Super Tucano light-attack aircraft, is expected to receive seven more A-29s by late 2018, as […]

Air Force One Milestone. The Air Force has awarded a contract modification to Boeing to buy two commercial 747-8 planes that will be modified to replace the existing Air Force […]

Defense Authorization. The Senate seems to be in a holding pattern with its fiscal year 2018 defense authorization bill. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, […]

Tomahawk Test. The U.S. Navy test fired two Raytheon Tomahawk cruise missiles from new payload tubes on the Virginia­-class USS North Dakota (SSN-784) submarine in an initial test. The test […]

Work Retires. Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work received a “clap-out” on Friday, bidding him farewell as he departs the Pentagon. Work will remain as the Pentagon’s Number 2 official […]

F-35 Contract. Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $5.6 billion contract to build 91 more F-35s for the U.S. military, the Defense Department announced late July 7. The 11th low-rate initial production […]

Congressional Recess. The last week of June was a busy one for defense on Capitol Hill, as three panels – the House and Senate Armed Services Committees and the House […]

Many Markups. Three of the four congressional defense panels plan to mark up their respective annual defense bills during the last week in June. The House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee […]

Busy Congress. Capitol Hill plans a plethora of defense-related activities the week of June 19 to 23. The House Armed Services Committee’s six subcommittees will mark up the fiscal year […]

No Flights Today. Luke Air Force Base canceled its local F-35A flights June 9 after five pilots at the Arizona base experienced hypoxia-like symptoms while flying the new fighter jets. […]