Officials said the Air Force and the Navy are accelerating efforts to deliver new platforms designed to replace legacy systems of the U.S. nuclear triad, National Defense reported Friday. Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe, director of strategic systems programs for the Navy, said the service considers the procurement of Columbia-class submarines a top acquisition priority and plans to have the lead boat ready by 2031.
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The U.S. Air Force intends to reactivate the squadron that performed the pre-operational tests of the B-2 Spirit aircraft to support the flight test phase for the military service's future B-21 Raider bomber plane. B-21 prime contractor Northrop Grumman is building the test aircraft at a production facility in Palmdale, Calif., the Air Force said Monday.
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Matthew Donovan, acting secretary at the U.S. Air Force, toured three facilities in Florida to showcase the service branch's communications, air and space investments. Donovan examined the Kennedy Space Center's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle processing facility and visited Northrop Grumman's design and development area for the B-21 Raider aircraft, the Air Force said Monday.
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The U.S. Air Force has detailed its plans to update its existing bomber fleet and acquire new aircraft in the fiscal year 2019 budget request. The military branch said Monday it aims to modernize the B-52 Stratofortress fleet; continue installing upgrades on the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit aircraft; and acquire the future …
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Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has said the Nuclear Posture Review is a “tailored nuclear deterrent strategy” that seeks to respond to current security needs and aims to reflect the country’s commitment to arms control and nonproliferation, DoD News reported Friday. The NPR says the U.S. would only consider the deployment …
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The U.S. Air Force has started a zero-base budget review program in support of efforts to boost military readiness for the current threat environment. The service branch said Friday fiscal year 2018’s budget will keep funding for programs such as the B-21 Raider, KC-46 Pegasus, F-35 Lightning II and other …
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Lt. Gen. Jerry Harris, deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements at the U.S. Air Force, has told lawmakers that the service branch wants to have 165 aircraft in its future bomber fleet, DoD Buzz reported Monday. Members of the House Armed Services Committee’s Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee asked Harris …
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Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has said Congress should put an end to budget caps that impede the service branch’s efforts to build up readiness and update its aging aircraft fleet, Defense News reported Monday. “If you don’t provide relief from the Budget Control Act, we will hollow out the force …
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Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, military deputy to the Air Force’s assistant secretary for acquisition, has said the service branch may have to ask for “anomalies” or consent from Congress to fund its nuclear modernization programs if lawmakers resort to a full-year continuing resolution, Defense News reported Tuesday. Bunch told Defense News in an interview …
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The U.S. Air Force has begun to test upgrades for Northrop Grumman-built B-2 stealth bombers that include new sensors, software, electronics and radar technology, Scout Warrior reported Monday. Kris Osborn writes the B-2 defensive management system has been updated to help sustain the bomber’s stealth functions and increase defense against new threats. Capt. Michael Hertzog, …
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