Slow Orders for Larger Predator UAV: Tom Cassidy, head of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, told us last week at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium that he is surprised that the Air Force has not entered into long-term, multi-year buys for the larger model Predator B. “The B is a fabulous airplane,” Cassidy said. He did say that GAAS has an option to ramp up to 22 of the B-model UAVs, but he maintained that the Air Force “needs to move quicker.” Word from the Air Force budget brief is that USAF has two B models budgeted for 2006 and 2007 delivery, with a total of 14 on contract. And, USAF officials said that some developmental Bs are deployed to Southwest Asia.
DNI: Cyber Is The Common Weapon Among Top Adversaries
April 17, 2021
The top four U.S. adversaries—China, Russia, Iran and North Korea—are improving their military capabilities but relying increasingly on cyber means to challenge the U.S. and blunt its influence around the world, the intelligence community's annual threat assessment says. The report comes amid military tensions with both China and Russia.