Defense & Military

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that he doesn’t believe that cyber capabilities can be a substitute for the nation’s nuclear deterrence forces. “[W]e need to be very careful to maintain a safe, effective, and credible nuclear deterrent on its own,” […]

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson announced March 8 that she has submitted her resignation, effective May 31, to become the University of Texas El Paso’s next president, pending final approval. “Upon a favorable final vote by the [University of Texas] Regents, I will resign my position as Secretary of the Air Force,” Wilson said in […]

The relationship between the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Department of Defense “has never been stronger,” the head of the semiautonomous Department of Energy stockpile steward this week. U.S. Strategic Command “is our customer. But they don’t think of themselves as our customer, they think of themselves as their partner,” NNSA Administrator Lisa […]

The relationship between the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Department of Defense “has never been stronger,” the head of the semiautonomous Department of Energy stockpile steward said Tuesday. U.S. Strategic Command “is our customer. But they don’t think of themselves as our customer, they think of themselves as their partner,” NNSA Administrator Lisa […]

The leader of U.S. Strategic Command is seeking collaboration with industry to ensure the U.S. military’s next nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) enterprise is properly hardened against cyber attacks. Air Force Gen. John Hyten has spent the last six months investigating the issue and visiting industry partners and federally funded research development corporations to […]

The leader of U.S. Strategic Command is seeking collaboration with industry to ensure the U.S. military’s next nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) enterprise is properly hardened against cyber attacks. Air Force Gen. John Hyten has spent the last six months investigating the issue and visiting industry partners and federally funded research development corporations to […]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Defense Department remains satisfied with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) strategy to produce plutonium pits at two facilities, but time is short to get started, a senior Pentagon official said here. “DOD is fully behind the NNSA’s current plan,” Peter Fanta, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear matters, said […]

The Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General (DOD OIG) plans to evaluate 11 separate efforts related to space, nuclear deterrence and missile defense in fiscal year 2019, including whether the Air Force properly certified SpaceX for military launch missions. The DOD OIG released its fiscal year 2019 oversight plan last December with little fanfare, where […]

The Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General (DOD OIG) plans to evaluate 11 separate efforts related to space, nuclear deterrence and missile defense in fiscal year 2019, including whether the Air Force properly certified SpaceX for military launch missions. The DOD OIG released its fiscal year 2019 oversight plan last December with little fanfare, where […]

Matthew Beinart Defense Daily MONTERRY, Calif. — The president’s fiscal year 2020 budget request for the Pentagon is likely to be delayed until mid-March and will arrive in two parts: a skinny budget followed by the full request a week later, a staff member on the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee said this week. Congressional staffer John […]

The president’s fiscal year 2020 budget request for the Pentagon is likely to be delayed until mid-March and will arrive in two parts, a skinny budget followed by the full request a week later, a staff member on the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee said Monday. Congressional staffer John Lucio told attendees here at NDIA’s Tactical […]

The now-ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has signaled his support for a $750 billion topline for the Pentagon’s fiscal 2020 budget request, one of the highest estimates to emerge in recent reports. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), who chaired the committee from 2014 until the Democrats took back the House earlier this […]

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan’s past as a senior Boeing executive has some Senate Armed Services Committee members concerned over potential ethics issues, while others feel his defense industry experience is a plus. Shanahan, who was sworn in as deputy defense secretary in July 2017 and became acting defense secretary Jan 1. after President Trump removed […]

WASHINGTON ―  It would make sense for the Department of Energy to have more than one production facility for the fissile cores of nuclear warheads, a senior Pentagon official with broad responsibility for nuclear weapons procurement said here Friday. “To me, it doesn’t quite make sense to go down to a single point of failure […]

After years of prolonged operations and little chance of a decreased tempo in years to come, the U.S. Air Force faces force structure shortfalls to varying degrees for each of its aircraft classes, a new study by the RAND Corp. has found. Analyzing four separate hypothetical operational situations, the nonpartisan research group found that whether […]

After years of prolonged operations and little chance of a decreased tempo in years to come, the U.S. Air Force faces force structure shortfalls to varying degrees for each of its aircraft classes, a new study by the RAND Corp. has found. Analyzing four separate hypothetical operational situations, the nonpartisan research group found that whether […]

The Defense Department must better train and empower its acquisition workforce if it hopes to buy and develop critical capabilities more rapidly, the candidate for a key Pentagon leadership position said this week. “Acquisition is not something that someone can walk in off the street and do well,” Alan Shaffer, nominated in June to become […]

The Defense Department must better train and empower its acquisition workforce if it hopes to buy and develop critical capabilities more rapidly, the candidate for a key Pentagon leadership position said Tuesday. “Acquisition is not something that someone can walk in off the street and do well,” Alan Shaffer, nominated in June to become deputy […]

LA VISTA, Neb. — The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) may not be able to produce 80 nuclear-warhead cores a year by 2030, unless it resolves issues this year that have prevented it from converting an unfinished plutonium disposal plant in South Carolina into a weapons facility, the commander of U.S. nuclear forces said here […]

LA VISTA, Neb. — The United States could be at a strategic disadvantage without a multilateral nuclear arms-reduction treaty, the Navy admiral in charge of setting targets for U.S. nuclear weapons said here Wednesday. “The INF [Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty] is a great system between us and Russia to limit forces within a certain range,” […]

LA VISTA, Neb. — The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) may not be able to produce 80 nuclear-warhead cores a year by 2030 unless by the end of this year it solves issues preventing it from converting an unfinished plutonium disposal plant in South Carolina into a weapons facility, the commander of U.S. nuclear forces […]

LA VISTA, Neb. — The United States could be at a strategic disadvantage without a multilateral nuclear arms-reduction treaty, the Navy admiral in charge of setting targets for U.S. nuclear weapons said here Wednesday.  “The INF [Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty] is a great system between us and Russia to limit forces within a certain range,” […]

Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command and effectively customer-in-chief for the nuclear weapons maintained by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), toured the Savannah River Site in South Carolina this week. Nuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor sister publication Weapons Complex Morning Briefing was first to confirm Hyten’s visit this week. Hyten on Thursday […]

Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command and effectively customer-in-chief for the nuclear weapons maintained by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), is scheduled today to tour the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Hyten was set to tour the site’s tritium facilities, which process a crucial hydrogen isotope that magnifies the explosive power […]

Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, head of U.S. Air Force Materiel Command, told defense reporters last week she is confident that the B-52 bomber, which the Air Force plans to equip with new engines, can remain in service until 2050. Although the plane is more than 55 years old, it has relatively few flight hours and has […]

Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, head of U.S. Air Force Materiel Command, told defense reporters last week she is confident that the B-52 bomber, which the Air Force plans to equip with new engines, can remain in service until 2050. Although the plane is more than 55 years old, it has relatively few flight hours and has […]

By Calvin Biesecker Defense Daily Lockheed Martin on Tuesday posted strong financial results in its first quarter buoyed by operating performance, a lower tax rate and a pension tailwind, and the company raised the outlook for its top and bottom lines in 2018. Net income soared 47 percent to $1.2 billion, or $4.02 earnings per […]

By Calvin Biesecker Defense Daily Driven by strong results across its operations, Boeing on Wednesday reported a big increase in its bottom line and a solid gain in the top line in its first quarter, and the company boosted its guidance this year for earnings and cash. Net income was up 57 percent to $2.5 […]

By Calvin Biesecker Defense Daily Northrop Grumman on Wednesday opened its fiscal 2018 with solid results, driven by improved operating performance, lower taxes, and a pension benefit, and the company upgraded its earnings outlook for the year. Net income in the quarter was up 14 percent to $739 million, or $4.21 a share, from $650 […]

By Calvin Biesecker Defense Daily Raytheon on Thursday posted strong first-quarter financial results, driven by lower taxes, and improved operating performance, and the company increased its guidance this year for sales and earnings. Lower taxes that went into effect on Jan. 1 have helped underpin solid to strong results for all the major defense companies […]