Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, believes the United States should reconsider plans to modernize all three legs of its nuclear triad. Speaking July 20 at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., he said that bombers and ballistic missile submarines might provide a sufficient nuclear deterrent, and […]

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said Monday the United States should work to preserve the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia while taking concrete steps to develop military capabilities similar to those prohibited by the accord, as covered in the House and Senate versions of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act. “For the time being, […]

Lockheed Martin Corp. on Tuesday announced net sales of $12.7 billion and net earnings from continuing operations of $942 million for the second quarter of 2017. Net sales increased on a year-over-year basis from $11.6 billion and net earnings from $899 million, while cash from operations remained steady at $1.5 billion. The company’s Space Systems […]

Lockheed Martin Corp. on Tuesday announced net sales of $12.7 billion and net earnings from continuing operations of $942 million for the second quarter of 2017. Net sales increased on a year-over-year basis from $11.6 billion and net earnings from $899 million, while cash from operations remained steady at $1.5 billion. The company’s Space Systems […]

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said Monday the United States should work to preserve the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia while taking concrete steps to develop military capabilities similar to those prohibited by the accord, as covered in the House and Senate versions of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act. “For the time being, […]

The House of Representatives is moving forward with plans to direct the Defense Department to begin work on an intermediate-range ground-launched missile despite pushback from the White House, striking amendments opposing the move from the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act it passed today in a 344-81 vote. The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee […]

The U.S. State Department this week released additional details about the types of ballistic missiles, launchers, and bombers being counted under the latest New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) aggregate data. The treaty requires the United States and Russia by next February to each cap its nuclear arsenal at 700 deployed ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic […]

The State Department released Monday additional details about the types of ballistic missiles, launchers, and bombers being counted under the latest New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) aggregate data. The treaty requires each country by next February to cap its nuclear arsenal at 700 deployed ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers; 1,550 fielded […]

The Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday approved its version of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, which would allow for $65 million for research and development of an intermediate-range missile in response to Russia’s breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The United States has determined that Russia has deployed a ground-launched cruise […]

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) says the Air Force B-21 stealth bomber program is “bucking” the trend of major Defense Department acquisition programs that suffer lengthy schedule delays and large cost overruns. In a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing last week for Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who has been nominated to be deputy […]

Marc Selinger Defense Daily The U.S. Air Force’s aging, nuclear-armed, air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) is experiencing “significant reliability challenges,” underscoring the need to develop a replacement, a key general said June 20. All elements of the ALCM vehicle, including the engine, have reliability problems, forcing maintainers and operators to go to great lengths to keep […]

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee is calling for the Defense Department to develop a ground-launched cruise missile within the range covered by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, while conditioning further arms control with Russia on resolution of INF violation issues. The subcommittee on Thursday held its markup of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, […]

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee is calling for the Defense Department to develop a ground-launched cruise missile within the range covered by Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, while conditioning further arms control with Russia on resolution of INF violation issues. The INF Treaty prohibits Russia and the United States from fielding ground-based cruise and ballistic missiles with […]

The U.S. Air Force’s aging, nuclear-armed, air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) is experiencing “significant reliability challenges,” underscoring the need to develop a replacement, a key general said June 20. All elements of the ALCM vehicle, including the engine, have reliability problems, forcing maintainers and operators to go to great lengths to keep the decades-old missile in […]

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee on Thursday will hold its first markup of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, led by panel Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Ranking Member Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.). The markup, which begins at 10:30 a.m., will consider provisions related to the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal and the Energy […]

The House Armed Services Committee has begun developing the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, but differences between Congress and the White House on defense spending levels might complicate the path toward a budget agreement. Reps. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.), respectively the committee chairman and ranking member, last week introduced the “by request” version of […]

The future of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty continues to weigh on top U.S. military officials as they consider options for responding to Russia’s violation of the bilateral agreement. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Defense Department’s budget posture that […]

Marc Selinger Defense Daily The U.S. Department of Defense is scrutinizing all three legs of the nation’s aging nuclear triad as part of its nuclear posture review, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said June 14. “We’re looking at each leg of the triad and we’re looking at each weapon inside each leg,” Mattis testified before the […]

The U.S. Department of Defense is scrutinizing all three legs of the nation’s aging nuclear triad as part of its nuclear posture review, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday. “We’re looking at each leg of the triad and we’re looking at each weapon inside each leg,” Mattis testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense panel. […]

The future of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty continues to weigh on top U.S. military officials as they consider options for responding to Russia’s violation of the bilateral agreement. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Defense Department’s budget posture that […]

The House Armed Services Committee has begun developing the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, but differences between Congress and the White House on defense spending levels might complicate the path toward a budget agreement. Representatives Mac Thornberry (R-Tex.) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.), respectively the committee chairman and ranking member, last week introduced the “by request” version of […]

Senate lawmakers on Tuesday challenged new Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson to explain the service’s secrecy regarding its B-21 nuclear bomber program. During a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said it was “difficult to understand” why the Air Force is keeping all the B-21’s capabilities classified “under the veil […]

The United States is months ahead of schedule in meetings its obligations to cap the U.S. nuclear arsenal under the bilateral New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia, according to a top Air Force official. Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said Wednesday at a Senate Armed Services strategic forces […]

The United States is months ahead of schedule to meet its obligations in capping the U.S. nuclear arsenal under the bilateral New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia, according to a top Air Force official. Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said Wednesday at a Senate Armed Services strategic forces […]

Senate lawmakers on Tuesday challenged Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson on the service’s secrecy on its B-21 program, which the secretary defended during a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing. SASC chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said it was “difficult to understand” why the Air Force is keeping all the B-21’s capabilities classified “under the veil […]

Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees responsible for annual defense authorization have voiced opposition to the White House’s fiscal 2018 budget proposal for differing reasons, raising questions about whether Congress will be able to agree on defense spending levels past the end of this fiscal year. While committee Republicans argue that the […]

Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees responsible for annual defense authorization have voiced opposition to the White House’s fiscal 2018 budget proposal for differing reasons, raising questions about whether Congress will be able to agree on defense spending levels past the end of this fiscal year. While committee Republicans argue that the […]

Top U.S. Air Force officials are standing behind a significant increase in funding the service is proposing for its controversial Long-Range Standoff nuclear cruise missile for fiscal 2018. There seems to be “broad bipartisan support for LRSO,” Gen. Stephen Wilson, Air Force vice chief of staff, said Thursday at a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies […]

Marc Selinger Defense Daily The Air Force’s fiscal year 2018 budget request contains billions of dollars to ramp up development work on several major new aviation and missile programs, including the B-21 bomber and the Long Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO). The B-21 Raider, which will replace aging bombers, would receive $2 billion in FY 2018, up from […]

The Air Force’s fiscal year 2018 budget request contains billions of dollars to ramp up development work on several major new aviation and missile programs, including the B-21 bomber and the Long Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO). The B-21 Raider, which will replace aging bombers, would receive $2 billion in FY 2018, up from $1.3 billion […]