U.S. Air Force

GAO Report on Military Housing

The following is the April 2023 Government Accountability Office report, Military Housing: DoD Can Further Strengthen Oversight of Its Privatized Housing Program.

From the report

What GAO Found

The Department of Defense (DOD) has taken steps to implement statutory requirements from the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (2020 NDAA). These statutory requirements were designed to increase assistance to residents of privatized housing, ensure DOD has adequate personnel to conduct...

https://news.usni.org/2023/04/11/gao-report-on-military-housing

U.S. Not Ready to Quickly Produce and Ship Weapon Systems, Panel Says

155mm rounds wait to be loaded and shot down range.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The United States no longer has the capacity to quickly produce needed wartime assets, like 155 mm artillery shells, or to repair vital sophisticated systems, like radar, rapidly in theater, a panel of expert logisticians said last week.

Weapon systems like artillery and radar cannot be produced and shipped in a quick timeline, said Justin Woulfe, Systecon’s chief technology officer, during the Navy League’s Sea Air Space...

https://news.usni.org/2023/04/10/u-s-not-ready-to-quickly-produce-and-ship-weapon-systems-panel-says

Report to Congress on Transferring Fighter Aircraft to Ukraine

The following is the March 17, 2023 Congressional Research Service report, Transferring Fighter Aircraft to Ukraine: Issues and Options for Congress.

From the report

Since Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, some defense analysts, U.S. defense officials, and Members of Congress have debated whether or not to enable the transfer of U.S. or NATO military aircraft, including fighter jets and unmanned aircraft, to Ukraine. In general, the debate has centered around two broad...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/21/report-to-congress-on-transferring-fighter-aircraft-to-ukraine

U.S. Bombers Drill with Japanese, South Korean Fighters After North Korean Missile Launches

Japanese sailors aboard JS Atago (DDG-177) drill with US Navy destroyers. JMSDF Photo

U.S. forces conducted separate presence drills with South Korea and Japan over the last several days in response to multiple North Korean ballistic missile launches.

U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers and F-16 and F-35A Lighting II fighters flew with Republic of Korea Air Force Sunday. In a separate drill, U.S. Air Force B-1Bs and Japan-based U.S. F-16 Falcons joined Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15s.

Sunday’s...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/20/u-s-bombers-drill-with-japanese-south-korean-fighters-after-north-korean-missile-launches

Makin Island, America ARGs Wrap Up Exercises with Thai, Japanese Forces

A Republic of Korea Marine provides security as part of an amphibious assault during Exercise Cobra Gold 23 in Chonburi province, Kingdom of Thailand on March 3, 2023. U.S. Marine Corps Photo

The Makin Island and America amphibious ready groups wrapped up their participation in exercises in Thailand and Japan this week. 

The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) – which includes amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD-8), amphibious transport docks USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26) and USS Anc...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/15/makin-island-america-args-wrap-up-exercises-with-thai-japanese-forces

U.S. MQ-9 Drone Crashes in Black Sea After Encounter with Russian Fighters

MQ-9 Reaper UAV. US Air Force Photo

A Russian Su-27 aircraft struck a U.S. unmanned MQ-9 Reaper aircraft flying over the Black Sea Tuesday causing the drone to ditch in international waters, U.S. European Command announced.

The Russian Su-27 was one of two Russian fighters that intercepted the MQ-9 in what EUCOM is calling an “unsafe and unprofessional” fashion, according to the release.

At 7:30 a.m. CET, one of the Russian planes hit the MQ-9’s propeller, according to EUCOM. U.S. forces then...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/14/u-s-mq-9-drone-crashes-in-black-sea-after-encounter-with-russian-fighter

FY 2024 Budget: Pentagon Asks for  $30.6B to Beef Up Munitions Stockpile Citing Lessons from Ukraine War

SM-6 launches from guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones on Aug. 29, 2017. MDA Photo

THE PENTAGON ­– The rapid drawdown of the U.S. munitions stockpile to feed the demand of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict prompted the Department of Defense to ramp up its acquisition of everything from missiles to artillery shells, senior defense officials told reporters on Monday.

The Pentagon is pushing ahead with multi-year deals for weapons like the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, Standard Missile 6 and the...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/14/fy-2024-budget-pentagon-asks-for-30-6b-to-beef-up-munitions-stockpile-citing-lessons-from-ukraine-war

Pentagon’s Joint Concept for Competing

The following is the Feb. 10, 2023, Joint Chiefs of Staff document, Joint Concept for Competing.

From the report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Based on combatant commander (CCDR) assessments of their limited ability to compete successfully in strategic competition, at a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Tank on 19 June 2020, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) directed the development of a joint concept for competition to drive joint strategic planning and joint force development and design. The Joint...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/09/pentagons-joint-concept-for-competing

High Cost of Taiwan Invasion Will Dissuade China, Pentagon Official Says

Taiwanese Marines on Jan. 11, 2023. Taiwan Ministry of National Defense Photo

China will not attempt to invade Taiwan before the end of the decade because it understands the high cost, the senior Pentagon official in charge of Indo-Pacific security said Thursday.

“Deterrence is real; deterrence is strong” today and tomorrow, said Ely Ratner, the assistant secretary for the Indo-Pacific. The United States can likely deter Beijing from attacking the self-governing island 100 miles off the Chinese...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/02/high-cost-of-taiwan-invasion-will-dissuade-china-pentagon-official-says

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