Swedish, Finnish NATO bids raise the prospect of a beefier Baltic Sea posture

With Sweden and Finland in NATO, the alliance would be able to recalibrate its force posture in the Baltic Sea to a level capable of evening out the regional deterrence balance with Russia, according to Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist.

Army acquisition chief would welcome tank ramp-up if Congress funds it

Army acquisition chief, Doug Bush, said Abrams tanks could be produced at a faster rate should Congress decide to support a ramp-up and that the Pentagon and the Army were looking at options to possibly field Abrams tanks more quickly to Poland.

Pentagon CIO stands ground on December timeline for JEDI follow-up

“It’s just going to take us a little bit longer than we thought,” John Sherman, the Pentagon's chief information officer, said in a March briefing.

SOFIC

Spec ops optics: US forces seek new sights and ways to defeat fog

Having eyes on the battlefield can mean the difference between hitting the right or wrong target, or even hitting the target at all, which is why U.S. special operators are looking to upgrade a host of optics items.

Defense Innovation Unit picks designs for space nuclear propulsion demo

DIU plans to launch a demonstration mission in 2027, showcasing the advantages of nuclear-powered spacecraft for maneuver operations in cislunar space.

SOFIC

Special ops force calls for ‘untethered’ tool for recon and resupply

For the past two decades, radio frequencies were open, and it was uncommon for those deployed to encounter extensive jamming or interception. That’s not the case when facing more advanced adversaries like Russia or China, as opposed to terrorist organizations.

SOFIC

Special operators need counter-drone, counter-IED tech in a smaller package

The command expects to pick a device in less than two years.

South Korea selects Bell’s 505 helicopter for military training

Deliveries of the aircraft, also known as the Jet Ranger X, are slated to be completed by 2025.

Pacific Marines move to formalize role as the stand-in force

In practice, the Pacific Marines have been the inside force even as the rest of the joint force considered China’s growing anti-access/area-denial capabilities. Now, they're formalizing what it means to be a Stand-In Force and what new gear will enable them.

NATO launches AI initiative to ensure tech advantage

NATO defense ministers in October adopted the alliance’s first-ever artificial intelligence strategy, a summary of which described the capability as “changing the global defence and security environment.”

Commentary

Beware the allure of training technology

Sometimes the best and most cost-effective training tool may just be a book.

Greece seeks to join F-35 program as it lobbies against Turkey F-16 sale

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the White House and Congress this week to make to make his country’s case for acquiring the F-35 stealth fighter jet while lobbying against Turkey’s attempts to upgrade and acquire its aging fleet of F-16 aircraft.

As Air Force plans for new aircraft, senators worry about capability gaps

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., worried the Air Force could find itself without enough aircraft to conduct battlefield management or rescue downed personnel.

Pentagon’s high-level group to aid Ukraine is rooted in Iraq and Afghanistan fight

The Pentagon has modeled a new high-level team to rush military aid to Ukraine after the group it used to rush supplies to troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, according to a memo obtained by Defense News and sources familiar with the matter.

Littoral combat ship Montgomery conducts first land-attack missile exercise

The ship, cruising in the Pacific Ocean, launched three AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles May 12 during a proof of concept exercise.

McMaster says AI can help beat adversaries, overcome ‘critical challenges’

His remarks were made at the Nexus 22 symposium, a daylong event focused on autonomy, AI and the defense policy that underpins it.

SOFIC

Rafael unveils Aerospike missile for close-air support

The Aerospike is based on the Spike LR II, which has a ground-launched range of 5.5 kilometers and an air-launched range of 10 kilometers.

SOFIC

Special ops leader issues warning over information warfare capabilities, funding

Though operational commitments keep U.S. Special Operations Command moving, progress comes down to affordability.

UFOs pose real danger, says Pentagon, but aliens aren’t to blame — probably

Congress this week held its first public hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena in more than 50 years.

Successful test could rally Air Force hypersonics program

The test off the coast of Southern California broke a streak of three testing failures last year, that led Congress to nix procurement funds in 2022.

Prize money is on the line as US Air Force launches high-tech training competition

The winners of the second annual iChallenge competition will be announced in San Antonio, Texas, on May 24.

Commentary

Is America’s military headed down the same path as Russia’s?

Diplomacy that is not backed by military might will fail. It all comes down to credibility behind the words. The U.S. has lost its edge in that regard from both a military capability and capacity perspective.

Truck exhaust, IT woes and piles of rubble: Offutt faces uphill battle to rebuild

Rebuilding Offutt is expected to take about 10 years and more than $1 billion.

Navy creates Unmanned Surface Vessel Division to expedite integration of unmanned systems

The unit will manage unmanned surface vessel experimentation for medium and large unmanned surface vessels like the Sea Hunter and the Sea Hawk.

Lethal and survivable or irrelevant and vulnerable? Marine redesign debate rages

It's "not a custody fight. It’s a fight for the life of the child," said retired. Lt. Gen. Paul Van Riper.

Polish pick MBDA’s Brimstone missile for their new fleet of tank-busting vehicles

Brimstone has been in the news in the last few days after it emerged that Ukrainian troops had been using the British-supplied weapon to destroy Russian armor.

Most projects on Pentagon’s $5.7B lab ‘wish list’ likely to stay unfunded

The Pentagon's chief technology officer says addressing the lab and testing infrastructure gap is a top priority, but most of this year's unfunded facilities projects are too early in the design process for Congress to consider.

Aerojet Rocketdyne reprimands chairman over attempt to oust CEO

The conflict between Aerojet's chief executive and executive chairman became increasingly rancorous as 2021 proceeded with the Lockheed acquisition stuck in limbo.