Trump Picks “Mad Dog” Mattis for New SecDef

By Amy Hudson
President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis as Secretary of Defense during a rally in Cincinnati on Thursday evening. “We are going to appoint ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis as our Secretary of Defense,” said...

ISIS’s Last Stand in Libya

By Brian W. Everstine
US aircraft and the Libyan Government of National Accord have forced remaining ISIS fighters into two city blocks in the city of Sirte, where they have held out for weeks in the face of constant airstrikes. US aircraft began supporting...

Thornberry: Expect Nuclear Tests During the Lame Duck

By Brian W. Everstine
Potential adversaries will likely take advantage of the changing US presidential administration to flex nuclear muscles through tests, the head of the House Armed Services Committee said Thursday. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) said he expects countries like North Korea, Russia,...

First Japanese F-35 Lands at Luke

The first Japanese F-35 arrived at Luke AFB, Ariz., Monday. The aircraft, which was rolled out at a Lockheed Martin ceremony in Forth Worth, Texas, in September, was also the first foreign military sales F-35 to arrive at Luke, according...

C-17 Drag Testing Nearing Completion

Soon to be completed drag reduction testing on the C-17 transport aircraft could lead to design changes that would save the Air Force as much as 7.1 million gallons of fuel and up to $48 million per year. The 418th...

Lockheed Martin Upgrades GPS Ground Control System

An upgraded ground control system for the Air Force’s GPS satellite constellation is fully operational, according to a press release from Lockheed Martin. The Commercial-Off-the-Shelf Upgrade #2 (CUP2) has been managing the 31 satellites that provide data for the GPS...

Protecting Space Operations

By Brian W. Everstine
The military is beginning to think about how best to protect space assets from increasing threats, but there is still a long way to go. Audrey Schaffer, the director of space strategy and plans for the Defense Department, said Thursday...