Daily Report

April 2, 2014

GAO: F-35 Savings, EELV Costs

The F-35 strike fighter’s total acquisition cost dropped by an estimated $11.5 billion since last year, achieving the “most significant” savings of any DOD acquisition program, according to the Government Accountability Office. The 3.3 percent drop was “due solely to...

Dealing with Ukraine

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered Gen. Philip Breedlove, US European Command boss and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, to cancel planned appearances before congressional committees this week and head back to Europe where NATO ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss...

US Defense Officials in Europe to Discuss Ukraine

US defense officials are in Kiev, Ukraine, this week where they will meet with Ukrainian Defense Minister Michail Koval to discuss “regional security, defense cooperation, and areas for growth,” Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said in an April 1...

Bolstering Mil-to-Mil Ties in the Middle East

Instability in the Middle East could lead to “new and different alliances” in the region, said Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, who was in Jerusalem this week to discuss issues of strategic interest to the US and Israel....

Air Force to Launch Airman Comprehensive Assessment

The Air Force will launch an “Airman Comprehensive Assessment” form in the coming months that is intended to facilitate “meaningful and purposeful dialogue between supervisors and the airmen they lead,” said CMSAF James Cody in the most recent Roll Call....

Contract for GPS III Satellites Seven and Eight

Air Force officials exercised more than $245 million in contract options to finish the seventh and eighth new generation Global Positioning System III satellites, announced Lockheed Martin on Tuesday. “With eight GPS III satellites now fully under contract, the GPS...

4th SOPS Takes Authority of AEHF-3

The 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colo., received satellite control authority of the third Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite during a recent transfer ceremony, said base officials. The MILSATCOM Program Office, a division of the Space and...

Combating Sexual Assaults

In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, on Tuesday issued a video message to DOD personnel reiterating their commitment to preventing sexual assaults in the military....