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Unmanned Systems

Still Unhappy With Progress On Directed Energy Weapons, SWO Boss Wants More Land Based Testing To Speed Use On Ships

By Cal Biesecker

Tuesday, January 14th, 2025

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Still Unhappy With Progress On Directed Energy Weapons, SWO Boss Wants More Land Based Testing To Speed Use On Ships

Artist rendering of Lockheed Martin's HELIOS laser weapons system used on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. (Image: Lockheed Martin)

Laser and high-powered microwave systems are key to increasing magazine depth aboard ships to defend themselves and other assets, but the technologies are not progressing as fast as needed and shifting their testing away from ships at sea to sites on land will accelerate introduction of these systems into the fleet, the commander of Naval Surface Forces said on Tuesday. Vice Adm. Brendan McLane said he “wants to instill a greater sense of urgency” and is still pushing for the…

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 […]