USS Bataan (LHD-5) on May 15, 2014. US Navy Photo
In a rare concurrence of events, a carrier strike group and all three ships of a Navy Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) are in the Persian Gulf, for a total of nine U.S. Navy ships in region, defense officials told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More
A F135 engine undergoing testing. DoD Photo
A June 23 fire that severely damaged a Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is “definitely” related to the aircraft’s Pratt & Whitney F135 after-burning turbofan, multiple sources told USNI News. Read More
An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off while two F-35 Lightning IIs taxi on the flightline in a training mission April 24, 2014, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. US Air Force Photo
This post was updated to include a comment from Lockheed Martin.
The Pentagon has formally grounded the entire Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet after a June 23 fire that severely damaged one aircraft on take-off. Read More
E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft conduct a test flight in 2009. The Navy included one more E-2D in its unfunded priorities list submitted to Congress this week. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a $3.64 billion contract to build 25 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft. The five-year contract, which was awarded on Monday, will save the U.S. government about $369 million, according to the Navy. Read More
Lockheed Martin test pilot, flies AF-2, the second production F-35 Lightning II for the Air Force, during an airframe loads envelope expansion mission June 11, 2014, over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. US Air Force Photo
The U.S. Air Force has extended the grounding of its Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter to include its entire fleet after a fire on Monday severely damaged one aircraft on take-off. The pilot was not injured. Read More
USS Hopper (DDG 70) launches a standard missile (SM) 3 Blk IA in 2009. US Navy Photo
The following is the June 20, 2014 report from the Congressional Research Service, Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program. Read More
An American sailor on guard near the Chinese guided missile destroyer Haikou (171) at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on June 24, 2014. CCTV Photo
Two Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships arrived at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Tuesday, according to Chinese press reports. Read More
Staff Sgt. Matthew Reed provides oversight for Staff Sgt. Mark Freeman, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, during hot pit refueling at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. US Air Force Photo
Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, have temporarily suspended operations after a fire severely damaged an aircraft on take-off yesterday. Read More
F-35A Lightning II while another Air Force joint strike fighter waits to be refueled at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. US Air Force Photo
This post was updated to include a statement from Lockheed Martin.
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was severely damaged — possibly destroyed — in a Monday morning fire on the runway at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., USNI News learned.
A Boeing artist’s conception of a potential design for F/A-XX. Boeing Photo
The U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force are in the earliest stages of creating the requirements for their next generation of fighters but development of the engines that will power those aircraft are already well underway — and provide hints on what American sixth-generation aircraft will be able to do. One thing is already clear, both aircraft will be fast, long range and extremely efficient. Read More
