Tag: defense
210 articles
Navy Submarine Idle Time Costs $3.4 Billion Over Decade
The Navy has racked up a whopping $3.4 billion in unnecessary costs over the past decade due to maintenance delays and idle time for its attack submarines. This staggering bill could balloon even further if the Navy can't find a way to mitigate the issue, with an additional $3.1 billion on the table by 2030.
US Navy Faces Risks in Reverting to Steam Catapults on Carriers
The White House is pushing the Pentagon to radically redesign the Ford-class carrier program, after President Trump issued a memo calling for a switch back to steam catapults, a technology that's been around for 50 years. This abrupt change has left the US Navy facing significant risks and a tight 60-day deadline to come up with a new plan.
Trump Orders Navy to Reinstate Steam Catapults on Aircraft Carriers
President Trump has signed an executive order directing the Navy to bring back steam catapults for its Ford-class aircraft carriers, aiming to boost performance and reliability. This move reverses a previous decision, with the President confident that steam power will eliminate problems with the catapults.
Lazarus Exploits Windows Zero-Day to Deploy Trojan Backdoor
Meet the sneaky Trojan backdoor, Troy, that's been secretly infiltrating defense and aerospace companies worldwide by exploiting a newly discovered Windows zero-day vulnerability. This stealthy attack, part of Operation Dream Job, tricks victims with fake job offers on LinkedIn before deploying the malware.
GDIT Secures $1.3 Billion National Guard IT Cybersecurity Contract
General Dynamics Information Technology has landed a $1.3 billion contract to bolster the Army National Guard's IT and cybersecurity defenses, ensuring resilient networks that support communities, government partners, and national security. This major deal, dubbed the Enterprise Network Operations and Cybersecurity Support contract, will safeguard the nation's interests with cutting-edge tech.
Damaged KC-135 Tanker Enters Tinker AFB Repair Facility
The damaged KC-135 tanker, serial 63-8017, has arrived at Tinker Air Force Base's Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex for a thorough repair and scheduled maintenance, following a midair collision over Iraq that tragically claimed the lives of the crew on board the other tanker. The aircraft is set to undergo extensive repairs, combining damage patching with its regular 5-year maintenance.
Turkey Accelerates KAAN Fighter Jet Program with P1 Taxi Test
Türkiye's next-gen fighter jet, KAAN, just took a major leap forward with its second prototype, P1, successfully completing its first taxi test, rolling under its own power at the Turkish Aerospace Industries facility in Ankara. This milestone paves the way for P1's maiden flight, expected in the coming months.
Turkey Advances Kaan Fighter Program with Taxi Tests
Turkish Aerospace is making strides with its Kaan Fighter Program, recently releasing footage of the P1 prototype's powered taxi tests, a crucial step towards taking to the skies. The tests verify critical functions, including engine operation and flight controls, and come with notable design refinements.
GCAP Timeline Accelerates, Leonardo CEO Says
The timeline for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is likely to accelerate, with the CEO of Leonardo, Lorenzo Mariani, revealing that ministers are pushing to bring the initial in-service date forward from 2035 by a couple of years. This accelerated timeline may require adjustments to the programme's initial requirements and a phased approach to achieving full capability.
CMMC Pause Spurs Urgent Gap Assessments
The Department of Defense's sudden pause on CMMC Phase 2 has created an urgent need for gap assessments, especially for small and non-traditional businesses struggling to meet compliance requirements. This 60-day review aims to ease the burden, but existing obligations, including Phase 1 self-assessment requirements, remain in force.
Boeing absorbs $280M loss on Air Force One VC-25B conversions
Boeing is throwing in extra resources to keep the Air Force One VC-25B conversion program on track, which unfortunately meant a $280 million hit this quarter. The added investment aims to support the build and test schedule, ensuring timely delivery despite pushing total out-of-pocket losses past $3 billion.
Sikorsky Revives Raider Rotorcraft Bid for NATO Program
Sikorsky is dusting off its Raider rotorcraft bid for a NATO program, reviving a design that was previously grounded when the US Army canceled its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program. The S-97 Raider, with its striking coaxial rotors and sleek fuselage, boasts an impressive top speed of up to 240 knots.
Mirage Kitten Unveils New Malware Arsenal for Middle East Espionage
Mirage Kitten hackers have unleashed a potent new malware arsenal targeting the Middle East, threatening aerospace, aviation, defense, and telecom organizations with stealthy backdoors and tunnelers that enable covert surveillance and data relay. Their latest Windows backdoor, NightLedger, masquerades as a legitimate system file to infiltrate and gather intel.
Munitions Display Highlights Escalating CCA Competition
The Farnborough International Airshow just wrapped up, offering a sneak peek into the booming defense and aerospace industries, where the Cloud Computing Contract (CCA) competition is heating up. The event put the latest munitions on full display, showcasing cutting-edge tech and intensifying rivalry among major players.
US Congress Clears GE F110 Engine Sale for Türkiye's KAAN Fighter
Türkiye's KAAN fifth-generation fighter program just got a major boost with the US Congress clearing the way for the sale of GE F110 engines, a crucial component that's been held up in a long-running technical and political logjam. Turkish Aerospace is now moving forward to secure the engines and ramp up flight testing and production.
Canada Joins GCAP Fighter Program as Observer
Canada has taken a significant step forward in its defense capabilities by joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) as an observer, granting it privileged access to cutting-edge technology and industrial cooperation. This new role will deepen Canada's understanding of the programme's governance, capabilities, and industrial framework.
Boeing Braces for Additional Cost Overruns on Air Force One Program
Boeing is bracing for more cost overruns on its Air Force One program, with the company's defense unit head Steve Parker citing challenges in final assembly, wiring, structures, and certification. The extra spending is aimed at ensuring delivery by 2028.
China Weighs Risks in J-35 Fighter Jet Sale to Pakistan
A potential deal for Pakistan to acquire 40 advanced J-35 fighter jets from China has been rumored since 2024, but remains unconfirmed - if finalized, it could drastically shift the balance of power on the Indian subcontinent. The sale would mark a significant boost for Pakistan's military, but China is reportedly exercising caution to avoid giving Islamabad too great an advantage.
UK, Netherlands Forge Joint Amphibious Ship Program
The UK and Netherlands are joining forces to revolutionize their amphibious capabilities with a groundbreaking £2.4 billion program to build eight cutting-edge landing platform docks, set to enter service in the early 2030s. This game-changing partnership will bolster NATO's strength and cement the two nations' commitment to defense cooperation.
B-52 Readiness Issues Disrupt AGM-181A Nuclear Missile Testing
The AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff missile testing has hit a roadblock due to B-52 readiness issues, causing a four-month delay and unfavorable cost and schedule changes. The setbacks have forced the Air Force to push back its initial operational capability target to November 2030.
US Navy's 'Doomsday Plane' Program Delayed by Integration Risks
The US Navy's highly anticipated 'Doomsday Plane' program has hit a snag, with integration risks causing a significant delay - pushing back the low-rate initial production by about a year to April 2029. The setback is a reality check for a project that's become increasingly complex.
Pakistan Develops Fatah-5 Conventional Ballistic Missile
Pakistan is reportedly developing the Fatah-5, a conventional ballistic missile that could be an extended-range iteration of the Fatah-2 family, designed for scale and modularity. This new missile is likely to be an evolutionary upgrade rather than a revolutionary one, similar to Turkey's Tayfun program.
Ursa Major Accelerates 3D-Printed Hypersonic Engine Production
Ursa Major is revolutionizing hypersonic engine production with its cutting-edge 3D printing technology, enabling the rapid creation of high-performance engines like the Havoc hypersonic missile. This game-changing approach allows for low-cost, high-effect solutions that are nearly impossible for adversaries to track.
Pentagon Consolidates Drone Efforts Under New Autonomy Czar
The Pentagon is taking a major step to supercharge its drone program by creating a new role, the autonomy czar, to oversee and centralize its unmanned systems efforts. This move comes as adversaries are producing millions of unmanned systems every year, prompting the need for a more coordinated approach.