Breaking Defense's Monday Morning Briefing

A News Roundup for the Week Ahead _________________________________________________________________________

A News Roundup for the Week Ahead SNC TRAX® Software – Creating A Secure Universal Language Across Domains Presented by Sierra Nevada Corporation It's more critical than ever that systems can communicate with each other across domains. SNC TRAX allows otherwise incompatible interfaces to communicate with each other, regardless of format. Learn more. Introducing The Breaking Defense Space Survey: We Want Your Feedback By Breaking Defense; Monday, August 9, 2021 6:00 AM We're launching a new survey on military space issues, and we need your help to make it complete.   Melissa Dalton To Be Nominated As ASD For Homeland Defense By Aaron Mehta; Friday, August 6, 2021 4:00 PM Dalton, a longtime member of the CSIS think tank, has been the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy since January.   KC-46: Baby Steps To Wider Availability For Operators By Theresa Hitchens; Friday, August 6, 2021 3:08 PM TRANSCOM can now task KC-46 tankers to use their air refueling boom to fill up C-17 Globemaster III, B-52H Stratofortress and other KC-46 aircraft during day-to-day operations.   Iran's Drones Are Transforming The Middle East: Book Excerpt By Aaron Mehta; Friday, August 6, 2021 1:00 PM Iran takes center stage in an excerpt from Seth J. Frantzman's "Drone Wars: Pioneers, Killing Machines, Artificial Intelligence and the Battle for the Future."   Navy Acquisition Boss Shifting Programs To Prep For Project Overmatch By Justin Katz; Friday, August 6, 2021 11:47 AM The Navy's program executive officers must make recommendations about what programs should report directly to the leadership overseeing Project Overmatch by October.   DSCA Looking At 'Creative Financing' For Future Foreign Military Sales By Theresa Hitchens; Friday, August 6, 2021 10:15 AM DSCA also is looking at ways to better advertise options like third-party transfers to potential foreign buyers, says Air Force FMS specialist Col. Anthony Walker.   Mandiant CTO: Cyber Attribution, Deterrence More Vital Than Defense By Colin Clark; Friday, August 6, 2021 7:37 AM "We're on the defense," Ron Bushar, senior vice president at Mandiant says. "I don't think we've hit a real deterrence level in this space yet. And that's going to be key to thinking through our strategy over the next few years."   Lockheed Faces Intense Competition To Build Greece's Next Frigate By Justin Katz; Friday, August 6, 2021 6:00 AM Analysts say a major advantage Lockheed has over its European competitors is the kind of lifetime warranty a deal with the U.S. government provides, offering full access to Naval Sea Systems Command and its expertise.   Secretary Austin Approves Spectrum Superiority Strategy Implementation Plan By Brad D. Williams; Thursday, August 5, 2021 3:02 PM "Today's EMS Superiority Strategy combined our electromagnetic warfare and spectrum equities for the first time ever," said Vice Chairman John Hyten. "The Strategy's I-Plan sets us on a path to dominate the future battle space. We are determined to get there and achieve spectrum superiority in all domains."   UAE Arms Sale Remains In Limbo Pending Biden Review By Theresa Hitchens; Thursday, August 5, 2021 2:33 PM "This is well beyond my pay grade now," said Brig. Gen. Brian Bruckbauer, director of the Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate.   Chinese Execute 'Huge' Theater Level Exercise; Russia & PRC Start Joint Exercise By Colin Clark; Thursday, August 5, 2021 1:45 PM "Everywhere we went, we were confronted with Chinese. They would come up to us in the hotels, out in the streets and just kind of get really in our face," Marine Maj. Gen. David Furness said of his recent service in East Africa. "And they'd basically tell us, we're coming after you. They weren't shy about it at all."   Air Force To Fund, Test Unmanned Hypersonic Plane By Theresa Hitchens; Thursday, August 5, 2021 10:16 AM "There are so many building block technologies that need to happen first. So, it's a bit silly, but the appeal of the theoretical end result is undeniable," says Teal Group's Richard Aboulafia.   IAI, BlueBird Actively Seeking US Partner To Market VTOL Drones To Pentagon By Arie Egozi; Thursday, August 5, 2021 10:03 AM The two Israeli firms are looking for a partner to create a joint venture that will allow them to sell to the US military.   New Egyptian Base Sends Messages of Support to Libya, Challenge To Turkey By Chyrine Mezher; Thursday, August 5, 2021 6:15 AM The opening of the base signifies Egypt's determination to assert itself as a regional naval power with vast capacities and challenge efforts by its competitors like Turkey to expand their area of influence and control oil and gas rich zones of the Mediterranean.   State Clears Biden Admin's First Major Taiwan Arms Sale By Aaron Mehta; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 9:57 PM In addition to the $750 million Taiwan deal, State also cleared a pair of weapons packages for Japan.   ARRW Schedule Still On Track Pending Failure Review By Theresa Hitchens; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 4:09 PM If ARRW continues to fail, the service could resuscitate the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon as a fall-back, says Brig. Gen. Heath Collins, who heads AFLCMC's Armaments Directorate.   Congressional Report Could Be Major Step To Strengthen US Defense Supply Chain By Brad D. Williams; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 3:10 PM "Throughout the pandemic, US adversaries like China weaponized supply chain vulnerabilities in a way that threatened Americans' health and security," warned Rep. Mike Gallagher.   It's Time For A National Maritime Strategy By Aaron Mehta; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 2:20 PM Two Hudson Institute experts say the US needs a maritime strategy that looks at all American assets, not just the Navy.   DIU's Butow Pushes Space Force Case On 'Tactical ISR' Mission By Theresa Hitchens; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 1:50 PM Space Force is not a voting member of the new(ish) IC Commercial Space Council to improve coordination on commercial space policy — but NRO and NGA are.   Boeing Eyeing How MQ-25 Can Talk To Pilots When The Carrier Cannot By Justin Katz; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 11:15 AM The premise of Boeing's demonstration is simple, but it is aimed at the heart of many of the operational concepts and environments Pentagon leaders have discussed in recent years.   Hondo Geurts To Exit Pentagon By Justin Katz; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 10:22 AM Geurts will exit "later this month," he announced.   Navy Says Constellation Hull Change Won't Affect Internal Design By Justin Katz; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 9:30 AM "You could say we bought a bigger house, [but] from a modeling and simulation perspective, it's exactly the same."   BAE Cuts Operating Costs Of F-35 EW System By 50 Percent By Theresa Hitchens; Wednesday, August 4, 2021 8:00 AM BAE has been working to convince its own suppliers to enter into performance-based logistics to cut costs and increase availability of its EW system for the Joint Strike Fighter, said Betsy Warren, BAE's director of sustainment for Electronic Combat Solutions.    Production Delays For Boeing's MH-139A: Air Force By Colin Clark; Tuesday, August 3, 2021 4:14 PM While there are no "major technical hurdles," an Air Force officer said a redesign for a sensor faring is needed.   SPACECOM Head Touts Space, High Seas Parallels By Theresa Hitchens; Tuesday, August 3, 2021 3:49 PM "The behavior of some of our adversaries in space is surprising. If similar actions had been taken in other domains, they'd likely be considered provocative, aggressive, or maybe even irresponsible," said SPACECOM Commander Gen. Jim Dickinson.   To Counter China, The Navy Should Retake the High Ground By Aaron Mehta; Tuesday, August 3, 2021 2:35 PM With time and money both running short, fielding a force to deter Chinese aggression will require a new approach to naval aviation. writes Bryan Clark and Timothy A. Walton.   The B-21 Raider: A Bomber That Is Both Low Observable And Easier to Maintain By Breaking Defense; Tuesday, August 3, 2021 2:25 PM [Sponsored] Supportability issues that affected the availability and performance of early, stealthy aircraft are being addressed by Northrop Grumman on this new program.   Top Navy Aviator Says CNO's Industry Warning Based On Future Threats By Justin Katz; Tuesday, August 3, 2021 1:19 PM The Navy's top officer hit industry on Monday for lobbying for "aircraft we don't need."   Pentagon Shooting: Officer, Suspect Reportedly Killed In Tuesday Violence By Aaron Mehta; Tuesday, August 3, 2021 12:07 PM The Pentagon was locked down for about an hour Tuesday morning.   APKWS Upgrade Extends Range By 30 Percent: BAE By Aaron Mehta; Tuesday, August 3, 2021 11:54 AM "Starting early next year, the upgraded kit will be the only kit in production. All orders set to deliver next year will be the upgraded version of APKWS," a BAE spokesman said.   Breaking Defense 611 Broadway • New York, New York • 10012 unsubscribe