The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Israel’s missile defense organization have finished the fifth series of tests on a missile defense system designed to intercept short-range ballistic missiles and large caliber rockets.

MDA said Wednesday the David’s Sling weapon system intercepted three threat-representative targets via Stunner missiles during the test series held at Yanat Sea Range in Israel.

David Sling Test 5 also utilized an Elbit Systems-built battle management system to calculate the defense plans for the tests as well as an Israel Aerospace Industries-made multimission radar that helped detect targets after missile launch.

“We remain strongly committed to supporting Israel’s development of a missile defense system,” said Vice Adm. Jim Syring, MDA director.

Raytheon‘s missile systems division supports the David’s Sling weapon system program as a subcontractor to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

Program engineers will analyze and use data from the tests in the ongoing development and fielding of the David’s Sling, which will be a central element of Israel’s multilayer antimissile network.

Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, has said the U.S. needs to deter “bad behavior” and conflict in space amid efforts of Russia and China to build weapons for space deployment, Stratcom reported Tuesday.

Clifton B. Parker writes Hyten told audience during a talk at Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation that space should be available for exploration and that the U.S. should consider space as a potential war environment.

He said the Air Force needs a new ground missile defense base interceptor, an updated air-to-air missile and a long-range strike missile platform.

Hyten, who assumed his post in November, also urged the U.S. to evaluate its nuclear deterrence strategy and called for the advancement of “international norms of behavior in space,” the report added.

The U.K.’s defense ministry has requested to buy Oshkosh-built Joint Light Tactical Vehicles for the British army through the U.S. government’s foreign military sales program, Defense News reported Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. Robert Talbot Rice, land equipment director at U.K.’s defense ministry, said at a conference in London that U.K. has submitted a letter of request to the U.S. government and expects a response in the next months, Andrew Chuter wrote.

“On the basis of the assessment on price and value for money, we made the case to go the FMS route,” Talbot Rice added.

Oshkosh won a potential $6.7 billion contract from the U.S. Army in Aug. 2015 to build more than 50,000 JLTVs that will replace the Army and the U.S. Marine Corps‘ Humvees.

JLTVs will carry troops and support other light duties as part of the British army’s Multi-Role Vehicle-Protected program if the FMS sale pushes through, the report stated.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain has considered the possibility of military base closures and consolidation to support the reduction of wasted Defense Department funds, The Hill newspaper reported Tuesday.

Kristina Wong writes McCain and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) have discussed the issue of base closure and realignment which will potentially consolidate excess military bases.

“I think we have to examine all of the options that we have to make our military, our defense at the lowest possible cost to the American taxpayers,” said McCain.

“We must continue our reform efforts to make the Department of Defense more effective and efficient, while cutting wasteful spending.”

Lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties have voted against the consolidation of military bases because of the potential negative impact such actions could bring on local communities and constituents.

Frank Klotz, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, has been asked by President Donald Trump to remain as NNSA chief until the administration names a successor to the post, Albuquerque Journal reported Monday.

Mark Oswald writes the decision comes after Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) wrote Trump a letter to raise concerns about the lack of continuity in leadership at NNSA and its potential impact on national security work at the agency.

Klotz said in a Thursday memo to staff that Madelyn Creedon, principal deputy administrator at NNSA, and the other seven “non-career appointees” at the agency have left their posts, according to Gizmodo.

NNSA oversees the Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, Oswald reports.

Aaron Mehta also reports for Defense News that Rick Perry, former governor of Texas and Trump’s pick for the Energy Department secretary role, has expressed his intention to keep Klotz as NNSA head during his Senate confirmation hearing.

“I have sat down with [Klotz] and had a good conversation with him, and have sent the message that it would certainly be my desire to have that continuity,” Perry said.

NNSA is an agency under DOE and is responsible for the development, disposal and maintenance of nuclear weapons, the report added.