:

Congress

Southern Command Wants Predator UAS For Counter-Drug Missions, Official Says

By Cal Biesecker

Tuesday, June 4th, 2019

SHARE:

Southern Command Wants Predator UAS For Counter-Drug Missions, Official Says

A General Atomics Predator. Photo: General Atomics

A task force of U.S. Southern Command wants Predator unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for use in counter-narcotics missions for around-the-clock coverage, a command official said on Tuesday. Joint Interagency Task Force-South, which is part of SOUTHCOM, has a proposal in front of Congress for MQ-9s, “likely” two of the UAS, that would be forward-based in the task force’s area of responsibility to provide “persistent coverage,” Coast Guard Rear Adm. Steven Poulin, director of Operations for SOUTHCOM, told the House Transportation…

Congress

Key Defense Committee Members Face Tight Midterm Races, Including HASC GOP’ers In Virginia

As the mid-term elections near with polls showing an increasing likelihood of a switch in majority control in the House and potentially the Senate, three Virginia Republicans on the House […]

‘Theoretical Potential’ to Achieve 1,509 Combat-Coded Fighters by 2035, USAF Says

In the latest U.S. Air Force fighter force structure report submitted to Congress, the service speaks of a “theoretical potential” to achieve a goal of 1,509 combat-coded fighters in the […]

Budget

Hegseth Pushes For Reconciliation With At Least $350 Billion For Defense ‘Regardless’ Of Midterms Outcome

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday the Trump administration plans to continue its push for at least $350 billion in defense funds via the reconciliation process “regardless of what happens […]

Congress

Bipartisan Push in Senate to Hasten Export of 155 mm, GMLRS, HIMARS for Ukraine

A small, bipartisan group of senators is backing the Fast Tracking European Investment in Ukraine’s Defense Act, S. 5175, to hasten the export of allied buys of U.S. munitions for […]