The Weapons School Way

Air Force Says Suicide Rates are Dropping in 2021 After Two Years of Increases

May 13, 2021

Suicide rates in the Air Force are starting to drop after back-to-back years of exceptionally high rates as the department enacts new policies to address the problem. There were more than 100 suicides in the Air Force in both 2019 and 2020, causing leaders to order a “tactical pause” to…

CSAF: F-22 Not in USAF’s Long-Term Plan

May 12, 2021

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. wants to neck down the Air Force's fighter inventory from seven fleets to four, and the F-22 is not on his short list. The extant seven-fleet mix of fighters will need to be reduced to “four, … plus one,” Brown…

U.S., Partner Space Launches on Track as Importance of International Collaboration Grows

May 12, 2021

Space and Missile Systems Center boss Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, speaking May 12 during a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Space Power Forum, said strengthening ties with allies is increasingly important in both realizing “big-time” cost savings and speeding up the delivery of operational capability. In April, an SMC…

Raymond: Expect the Space Force to Provide Tactical ISR

May 12, 2021

The U.S. Space Force will move more into the role of providing space-based tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance—a role typically filled by the intelligence community—with a new ground moving target indicator capability possibly coming soon. USSF Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond said that since small satellites…

Rep. Brown Explains Support for Full F-35 Buy

May 12, 2021

The F-35 has problems, but its operational success and critical role in future conflicts outweigh them, said Rep. Anthony Brown during the McAleese FY2022 Defense Programs Conference on May 12. He urged that the services' 2022 F-35 request—as well as any congressional adds—be supported by House leaders.

House NDAA Vote Not Expected Until After August as Infrastructure Takes Priority

May 12, 2021

The House of Representatives likely won’t get the 2021 defense policy bill on to the floor for a vote until as late as July, as the Biden administration has not yet released its proposed budget and is making a major infrastructure bill its main priority, a key lawmaker said May…

Wittman Calls for $753B Defense Budget As Dems Seek Cuts to Defense

May 12, 2021

The fiscal 2022 Pentagon budget should be $753 billion, $38 more than the Biden administration's proposal of $715 billion, said Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Virginia), ranking member of the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee. Wittman's proposal is an increase from the $731.3 billion Congress approved in total defense…

U.S. Military Needs an EMS Warfare Czar

May 11, 2021

The Pentagon needs an overseer at the highest level for the joint electromagnetic warfare fight to coordinate responses to China and Russia, experts said at a Hudson Institute webinar. The services' fragmented approach can be overcome by the enterprise approach taken by U.S. adversaries, they said. Members of Congress on…

Hill F-35s Deploy to France for ‘Atlantic Trident’

May 11, 2021

F-35s from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, will take part in Atlantic Trident 21, a major France-led air exercise focused on integrating fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft. The F-35s from the 4th Fighter Squadron touched down at Mont-de-Marsan Air Base, France, on May 10. The squadron is made up of Active-duty…

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