The announcement comes as fears of a broader regional war grow, with Israel striking hundreds of targets in Lebanon in what is by far the deadliest cross-border escalation in nearly a year of violence between Israel and Hezbollah.

“In light of increased tension in the Middle East, and out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional US military personnel forward to augment our forces that are already in the region,” Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists, declining to provide further information for security reasons.

The United States has thousands of troops in the Middle East region, as well as warships, fighter jets, and air defense systems deployed to protect both its forces and Israel.

Ryder warned of the potential for the Israel-Hezbollah violence to escalate, calling for a diplomatic solution.

“Clearly there is the potential for these tit-for-tat operations between Israel and (Hezbollah) to escalate and to potentially spiral out of control into a wider regional war, which is why it’s so important that we resolve… the situation through diplomacy,” Ryder said.

World powers have implored Israel and Hezbollah to pull back from the brink of all-out war, with the focus of violence shifting sharply in recent days from Israel’s southern front with Gaza to its northern border with Lebanon.

Hezbollah, a powerful political and military force in Lebanon, has exchanged near-daily fire with Israel in support of its ally Hamas.

The Palestinian militant group carried out the worst-ever attack on Israel on October 7, sparking a conflict that has drawn Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups around the region into the violence.

The post US Sending More Troops to Middle East as Tensions Grow appeared first on The Defense Post.

Awarded by the US Defense Information Systems Agency, the agreement covers the continuance of operational and sustainment services for the Pentagon and the National Capital Region’s digital connectivity.

Work for the network, used by over 55,000 users, will be accompanied by the optimization of related IT environments to enhance the “speed, security, and reliability” of the infrastructure.

Associated tasks will be performed for a one-year base period and two six-month options.

“Enhancing the Pentagon’s network infrastructure will further advance technological superiority for our warfighters,” GDIT Defense Senior Vice President Brian Sheridan stated.

“We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with [Defense Information Systems Agency] and reimagining new ways to provide a modern, secure and reliable network.”

GDIT’s Latest DoD Projects

GDIT’s renewal contract followed the firm’s acquisition of a cyber firm based in Florida to improve its ongoing support for the US Special Operations Command and international allies.

In May 2024, the company received a $185-million award to provide digital security services for the US Air Force’s civil engineering division in Texas.

This followed another $922-million project two months earlier to apply a widescale update for the US Central Command’s IT infrastructure.

Alongside technical support, GDIT has also partnered with the Department of Defense to assist in training courses for over 200,000 combatants under the US Army’s III Armored Corps.

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The upcoming test will reportedly utilize Lockheed’s new vertical launch system called the Quad Launcher, which will allow the missiles to be fired from medium and large surface vessels.

The company recently showcased a model of a generic vessel equipped with four JAGM Quad Launchers, indicating its readiness for the much-awaited integration.

Lockheed did not provide a specific date for the planned live-fire demonstration.

If successful, the test could allow for the official integration of Quad Launchers on surface vessels to defeat maritime threats.

“We are still in the development phase of the vertical launch capability and demonstrating to [the] US [Department of Defense] is our near-term goal,” said Patrick Sweeney, Lockheed’s senior manager for international business development.

Potential Applications

The sea-launched JAGM test is part of a broader initiative to transform the munition into a multi-domain weapon system capable of addressing a wide variety of threats.

It can be used to engage uncrewed surface vessels and drones, similar to those used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

Currently, the US Navy employs AGM-114 Longbow Hellfire missiles for targeting small surface vessels.

The existing version of the JAGM only allows for launch on aerial platforms, such as the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter.

Lockheed plans to offer the sea-launched JAGM to the US military and the Australian Defence Force.

The post Lockheed Braces for First Sea-Launched JAGM Missile Test appeared first on The Defense Post.

The deal in question is the $990-million contract awarded to AeroVironment on August 27 for an “organic, stand-off solution” capable of neutralizing hostile tanks, armored vehicles, and personnel targets.

Although the grounds for the petition have not yet been disclosed, the protest will halt production of the loitering munitions while the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviews the case.

An official decision is expected to be made within 100 calendar days as required by law.

If successful, Mistral’s protest could force the US Army to re-open a competition.

The Agreement

On August 28, AeroVironment confirmed it had entered a five-year agreement with the US Army to support its Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS) requirement by supplying an undisclosed number of Switchblade attack drones.

The systems will be used by dismounted infantry formations to defend against the threats of enemy armored assets.

The company stated that its Switchblade munitions will enhance soldier lethality and give operators the ability to track and engage moving, non-line-of-sight targets.

“AV (AeroVironment) is proud to have been selected to provide Switchblade for this critical and urgent army requirement,” Senior VP Brett Hush noted.

Deliveries of the Switchblade systems were originally scheduled to begin in months, but the protest may delay them until next year.

‘Well Positioned’

The Switchblade is a tube-launched, precision-guided munition that is flown like a drone and detonates upon contact with the target.

It can stay airborne for up to 20 minutes to monitor the surroundings and search for a target.

Prior to Mistral’s protest, AeroVironment said that its Switchblade munitions offer “unmatched maturity and effectiveness” for various missions.

Additionally, the company affirmed it is well positioned to meet the army’s emerging needs by leveraging robust production capability and supply chain capacity.

“This contract further solidifies AV’s role as a leading provider of innovative unmanned solutions,” AeroVironment noted. “The company remains committed to supporting US Army missions by delivering advanced technology that ensures operational superiority”

The post Mistral Challenges US Army’s $990M Loitering Munition Deal With AeroVironment appeared first on The Defense Post.

Since its unveiling in December 2022, the company reports that the stealth bomber now undergoes up to two test flights per week, demonstrating its commitment to making the warplane operational as soon as possible.

Northrop also currently possesses three Raiders in various configurations, of which two are for ground testing and one for flight trials.

Recently, the B-21 assigned for ground testing completed a static test, verifying its structural design.

The one designated for flight trials also conducted fatigue testing that simulated real, long-term flight conditions.

“We’re really starting to strike up quite a cadence,” Northrop President of Aeronautics Systems Tom Jones said. “I think we’re well on the way to delivering a kind of asset that can be that daily flier for US warfighters out there.”

From flight test to production, our continued progress on the B-21 Raider is backed by its digital ecosystem and high-fidelity models. Learn more: https://t.co/zDE7sBzYRt pic.twitter.com/6jvICwNeBQ

— Northrop Grumman (@NGCNews) September 18, 2024

Preparing for Tomorrow

The B-21 is the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft, featuring a significant leap in capability beyond fifth-generation fighter jets such as the F-35 and China’s J-31.

It is designed to defeat the most sophisticated threats in modern warfare.

The plane incorporates stealth technology to minimize its signature, making it harder for adversaries to detect and counter.

It is also capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons.

The US Air Force said it plans to procure at least 100 B-21s to replace its older B-1 and B-2 bombers.

“The progress we’ve made on B-21 in the last 12 months is remarkable,” Jones stated, adding that this development “gives us additional confidence as we look ahead to delivering on B-21.”

The post Northrop Stepping Up B-21 Stealth Bomber Testing, Production appeared first on The Defense Post.

This is part of the 2024 Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN) for America’s Warfighting Navy, which Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti described as “overarching strategic guidance to make our Navy more ready.”

Project 33 aims to help in “prioritizing raising our level of readiness for potential conflict with the People’s Republic of China by 2027 while also enhancing the Navy’s long-term warfighting advantage.”

Project 33

The seven key areas start with readying the force by eliminating ship, submarine, and aircraft maintenance delays.

Next comes scaling robotic and autonomous systems “to integrate more platforms at speed,” as the US Navy created a new job focused on drones and robotics warfare in February this year and commissioned a new unit for unmanned operations in the Middle East in January.

The remaining key areas include creating command centers for success on a distributed battlefield, recruiting and retaining talented people, delivering quality service, investing in warfighter competency, and restoring critical infrastructure that sustains and projects the fight from shore. 

The NAVPLAN was released at the Naval War College on September 18.

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However, each aircraft must remain within 30 minutes of a safe landing zone as part of “a mission planning issue,” AFSOC Commander Lt. Gen. Michael Conley and a command spokesperson said.

At the AFA Air, Space & Cyber Conference, Conley stated that the two CV-22B Ospreys in Japan and England “are almost back to full mission readiness,” and will be deployed in remote locations in a few weeks. 

The lieutenant general declined to name the locations but noted that it would not be in Europe or the Indo-Pacific. 

About 60 percent of the command’s 51 CV-22B aircraft have already returned to full flying status, and the rest should be back by late 2024 or early 2025, he added. 

This announcement comes after the decision to ground the fleet in early December following a fatal crash off the coast of Japan in November 2023, killing eight airmen. 

V-22 Osprey’s Troubled History

The Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, which can fly like a helicopter and a plane, has been involved in more than 10 deadly crashes since 1991 with 62 fatalities. 

In the past two years alone, four accidents were recorded. 

Failed gear was determined as the cause of the most recent November 2023 crash, according to the Air Force Accident Investigation Board headed by Conley.

In August 2023, three US Marines died during a drill in Australia after their plane went down. 

In 2022, four US Marines lost their lives in Norway when their aircraft crashed during NATO exercises in March, while five were killed in an accident near Glamis, California, in June.

The aircraft’s mechanical and safety issues over the years have raised concerns about the recent plan to resume operations.

“To be blunt about it, I would not put the men and women of AFSOC back on the plane if I wasn’t confident that it could do what we needed it to do,” Conley said.

“As part of my Accident Investigation Board duties, I spent time with families after the report came out, and that’s hard,” he continued.

“Those families are still grieving, and I appreciate that. They were all gracious to me and my team as we met and spent time with them. I owe it to the families to make sure that we’re giving [Airmen] the safest aircraft we can. And I wouldn’t put them in harm’s way if I didn’t have confidence in it.” 

The post AFSOC to Deploy CV-22 Ospreys Soon After Grounding Fleet appeared first on The Defense Post.

The ICC (P) is set to drive the service’s modernization plans for rapid collaboration and integration and continue developing a framework for its transition as a permanent institutional command by 2025.

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall observed that the service’s current processes aren’t competitive enough to face the dynamic threat environment. 

“This organization is a key part of the competitive ecosystem we are creating to reoptimize for Great Power Competition. With other [Department of the Air Force] organizations, ICC will ensure the Air Force keeps pace with our pacing challenge, China, and acute threat, Russia,” he said. 

Integrated Capabilities Command

One of its initial tasks as a provisional command is to set up teams at existing Air Force centers known for their expertise, bringing together specialists in military operations and planning.

The command will test different military strategies, develop alternative force structures, identify requirements to stay ahead of threats, as well as coordinate science, technology, experimentation, and industry needs.

“We will bring together experts from across multiple fields into one organization to drive rapid collaboration that results in a coherent demand signal to industry. This will be essential to driving capability development at the pace our security environment demands,” said ICC (P) Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Mitchum.

The command will work with the service’s Materiel Command Integrated Development Office to determine the feasibility of requirements generated by technical and acquisition experts.

Full operational capability as a permanent command will be reached once a three-star commander is nominated and confirmed, a unit manning document is approved, and the strategic basing process is completed. 

“We are going as fast as we dare to build the Air Force we need from the beginning so we remain competitive into the future. We must be integrated from the start to stay ahead of the threat,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin during the 2024 Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference on September 16.

The post USAF Sets up New Command for Improved Threat Response appeared first on The Defense Post.

Under the partnership, Anduril will integrate its Lattice open software platform into the revolutionary goggles to enable operators to see threats faster across the battlespace.

The software utilizes sensor fusion, computer vision, edge computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect, track, and classify every object of interest in the operator’s surroundings.

Once activated, Lattice is expected to augment IVAS’ capabilities, enhancing soldier survivability in complex and contested environments.

“It’s one of the Army’s most critical programs being fielded in the near future,” Anduril founder Palmer Luckey said, referring to the IVAS. He added that the goal of the partnership is to ensure the device “gets the right data to the right people at the right time.”

‘Bringing a Full Picture’

According to Anduril, Lattice works by fusing multiple sensors, data, and assets into a single, AI-enabled software interface to automatically detect and monitor threats.

It employs advanced data processing techniques to filter high-value information, enabling operators to react to the most immediate threats first.

The software can also be used to further investigate threats by coordinating with other available platforms, such as drones and aircraft.

The company noted that its Lattice platform is also suited for monitoring land and maritime borders, as it can alert human operators to objects of interest through their desktop or mobile phones.

“IVAS brings a full picture of the battlefield to every soldier, enabling safer and more effective operations,” Microsoft VP of Mixed Reality Robin Seiler stated.

“Our collaboration with Anduril to integrate their suite of critical sensors … demonstrates the transformative capability of this fighting goggle and will allow us to further expand the impact IVAS will have for every US soldier.”

Struggling Program

Launched in 2018, the IVAS program aims to produce augmented reality goggles that are said to revolutionize how soldiers train and operate on the battlefield.

However, the initiative has faced challenges, with soldiers reporting disorientation, dizziness, eyestrain, and headaches after trying the equipment.

User feedback also revealed that fewer targets were hit when they used the early versions of the device.

The US Congress has already withheld nearly $350 million in funding for the goggles, with a Pentagon official claiming that the US Army might just waste billions of dollars on the program.

US Army Futures Command head Gen. James Rainey also stated that the upcoming operational tests of the IVAS goggles may determine the fate of the troubled initiative.

The post Anduril to Revive US Army’s Troubled IVAS Program, Partners With Microsoft appeared first on The Defense Post.

The 600-million-euro ($669.7-million) deal includes management, spare parts supply and repairs, and accompanying technical support services to the fleet.

KNDS will also support the construction of a sustainment facility in the country to bolster future overhaul projects for the vehicles.

Canada’s procurement authority is partnering with KNDS segments in Munich and Ottawa to complete the effort.

Work for the agreement will be facilitated from September 2024 through March 2031, with an option for five additional years.

“As a system house and manufacturer of the LEOPARD 2, we have felt a strong connection with Canada and the Canadian Army for almost 20 years,” KNDS Deutschland Service Head Markus Schmidt stated.

“For KNDS, the contract for long-term support of the systems is an honor. We are aware of the responsibility of ensuring the operational readiness of 74 LEOPARD 2 battle tanks and 29 family vehicles.”

The Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank

The Leopard 2 measures 10 meters (33 feet) and is protected with armor composed of steel, tungsten, plastic, and ceramic parts.

It is equipped with a smooth-bore gun, medium machine guns, multi-barrel grenade launchers, and explosives.

The tank is powered by a NATO-standard V12 diesel engine for a top speed of 68 kilometers (42 miles) per hour and a range of 340 kilometers (211 miles).

Canada first adopted the vehicle in 2007 to replace its older main battle tank fleet, operational since the 1970s.

Currently, five variants of the Leopard 2 are in service under Ottawa’s military.

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