The leaders of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps gave their bleak assessments of the future of Sea Service readiness under future budget cuts in a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Read More
Category Archives: Aviation
Navy: Despite Cost Overruns Ford Carriers are Built for Affordability
A composite photo illustration representing the Ford-class aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79). US Navy Photo
The head of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier program offered a mea culpa for cost overruns on the service’s new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) nuclear carrier class in a Tuesday briefing with reporters. Read More
Document: U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments and Issues
The following is from the Oct. 22, 2013 Congressional Research Service report: U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues.
Even though the United States plans to reduce the number of warheads deployed on its long- range missiles and bombers, consistent with the terms of the New START Treaty, it also plans to develop new delivery systems for deployment over the next 20-30 years. The 113th Congress will continue to review these programs during the annual authorization and appropriations process. Read More
Lockheed Martin SR-72 is Only a Plane on Paper
An artist’s conception of the proposed Lockheed Martin SR-72. Lockheed Martin Photo
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and Aerojet Rocketdyne have made a breakthrough in hypersonic propulsion technology, but the Mach 6.0-capable SR-72 remains more of aspiration than a real airplane.
Lockheed’s SR-72 Could Fill Crucial Pentagon Need
Artist’s conception of the SR-72 so-called Son of Blackbird concept from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. Lockheed Martin Photo
Could Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ SR-72 hypersonic concept design fill the Pentagon’s need for a penetrating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft? The answer could be yes. Read More
Next-Generation Fire Scout Has First Flight
An MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle takes off from Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu on Oct. 31, 2013. US Navy Photo
The Navy’s next generation rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had its first flight on Thursday at Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, Calif., according to a statement from the service. Read More
NAVAIR Cancels Pre-Solicitation for New Super Hornets
An F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to the Argonauts of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 prepares to land on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) on Oct. 26, 2013. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy removed pre-solicitation notices for 36 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and 84 General Electric F414 engines from the Federal Business Opportunities website today. Read More
New Super Hornet Solicitation Could Threaten Navy’s Joint Strike Fighter Buy
An F-35C Lightning II aircraft on Aug. 14, 2013 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. US Navy Photo
The U.S Navy has released a pre-solicitation notice for 36 additional Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters, which could potentially threaten the production ramp-up for the service’s Lockheed Martin F-35C Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) variant. Read More
First European Aegis Ashore Begins Construction
The deckhouse for the Aegis Ashore system bound for Romania at the Lockheed Martin Aegis facility. Missile Defense Agency Photo
The U.S. and NATO have begun construction on the first deployed Aegis Ashore installation in Deveselu, Romania as part of a wider ballistic missile defense (BMD) strategy on Monday, according to several press reports. Read More
The Future of Air Sea Battle
US Navy and Royal Malaysian air force aircraft conduct a fly-by over the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) on Oct. 25. US Navy Photo
The Pentagon is taking its next steps in developing the often misunderstood and occasionally controversial Air-Sea Battle concept, according to several USNI News interviews with Navy and defense officials. Read More
