Gen. Mark Milley, chief of staff at the U.S. Army, supports a 2016 National Defense Authorization Act provision that would allow top military leaders to get more involved in the Defense Department‘s acquisition process, Breaking Defense reported Thursday. Breaking Defense’s Sydney Freedberg Jr. quoted Milley as saying he believes the …
Read More »Navy Seeks Info on Sensor, Targeting System for Special Ops Aircraft
The U.S. Navy is soliciting industry input for its plan to install an electro-optical sensor and targeting system in the service’s special operations aircraft, Defense Systems reported Tuesday. A Naval Surface Warfare Center notice says the service wants information on a gimbaled system that is compatible with the Lockheed Martin-built C-130J in …
Read More »Gen. Joseph Votel: Special Ops’ TALOS Suit Moves Toward 2018 Launch
U.S. Army Gen. Joseph Votel has said a prototype of an assault suit designed to protect special operations troops is on track for launch in 2018, DoD News reported Wednesday. Jim Garamone writes a joint acquisition task force, formed in 2013, intends to combine technologies for ballistic protection and tactical functions into …
Read More »SOCOM Calls for New UAV Vendor
The Special Operations Command is seeking a new vendor to develop unmanned aerial vehicles for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Defense News reported Tuesday. Paul McLeary writes the fresh bid for the ScanEagle system follows on a previous contract awarded to Insitu in February 2013, which will expire in early 2015. The medium …
Read More »DARPA Seeks Lighter Night Vision Gear
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is seeking a light and small design variant of night vision gear, Military Times reported Thursday. Michael Peck writes DARPA has released a small business innovation research solicitation for a night vision system with short-wave or broad-band infrared cameras, infrared weapons illuminators and augmented reality heads-up displays. …
Read More »Kay Hagan: Senate Subcommittee Wants DoD Special Ops Funding to Help Target Boko Haram
A Senate subcommittee has approved language in its portion of the fiscal year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act to allocate $7.7 billion in special operations spending for the Defense Department, Defense News reported Tuesday. John Bennett writes Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Senate Armed Services Emerging Threats and Capabilities subcommittee chairperson, told a Senate session …
Read More »Ray Odierno: Army, Joint Chiefs of Staff Talk Multinational Network Concept
U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno has introduced a new concept for working with other countries to jointly respond to contingencies, Defense News reported Thursday. Paul McLeary writes Odierno said at a Washington think tank that the Army is discussing the Global Strategic Landpower Network approach with the …
Read More »Congress Asks DoD to Detail Cyber Budget
Defense Department officials have been asked by members of Congress to provide more details on the military’s budget for its cyber and special operations, the Federal Times reported Wednesday. Marcus Weisgerber writes the House and Senate appropriations committees want more information in order to form a budget for the Special …
Read More »Michel Fieldson: Special Ops Command Seeks Contractors for Wearable Armor Tech
U.S. Special Operations Command wants to acquire technologies for infantry suit that would protect the wearer against different types of threats, the Army News Service reported Thursday. David Vergun writes SOCOM aims to troops an “Iron Man-style” armor with fire and ballistic protection features under the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit project. …
Read More »Adm. Bill McRaven, SOCOM Promote Int’l Partnerships as Afghanistan Drawdown Nears
The U.S. Special Operations Command is pushing Congress to expand global partnerships and training authorities as the scheduled withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan approaches. William H. McRaven, SOCOM commander and Navy Admiral., told the House Armed Services Committee at a defense authority review in Washington that the command’s vision is to …
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