Trump Lifts Turkey Sanctions Following Ceasefire Announcement
New F-35 Block Buy is Close, Lockheed Says
KC-46 Officially Begins Initial Operational Test and Evaluation
First GPS III Satellite Connects to Control Software
Air Force Adds Sickle Cell to PT Test Questionnaire Following Deaths
Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. C.Q. Brown recently visited Osan and Kunsan ABs and Camp Humphreys, South Korea, as part of a three-day tour of the country that also included bilateral engagements with defense and military leaders and a visit to the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, according to Air Force press releases. At Kunsan and Osan, Brown told airmen that the Indo-Pacific “is the priority theater,” adding that he likes to emphasize that fact when speaking to lawmakers and other leaders about what’s happening on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the entire region. “We need to focus on what’s going on here so we’re prepared to fight tonight, next week, and next decade,” said Brown, who served at Kunsan as a first lieutenant and later as the commander of the 8th Fighter Wing. At an Osan all-call, he said all Air Force major commands must be better organized, trained, and equipped. “We need multi-functional airmen that can get the job done,” he said, according to a press release. “The goal I want to accomplish is that we can operate from any airfield, anywhere, and anytime, to create challenges for our adversaries.” —Jennifer Hlad
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RADAR SWEEP
Pentagon Space Reforms Leading to Better Relations with Industry
While US Space Command was officially launched in August, the process of firmly establishing the Pentagon’s newest combatant command will take years to complete. But according to a key industry official, the command’s creation is already impacting how the Defense Department communicates with industrial partners. Defense News
Military Pay Raise at Risk in Budget Impasse, Key Lawmaker Says
The 3.1% pay raise promised for the military could be at risk in the ongoing impasse over the defense budget and the political turmoil surrounding the impeachment inquiry, a top House Republican said Oct. 23. Military.com
White House Responsible for Delayed Decision on New Agent Orange Diseases, Documents Show
Two years ago, then Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin decided to add three health conditions to the list of diseases eligible for Agent Orange benefits, but White House officials challenged his authority and impeded enactment, according to internal documents obtained by a veteran through the Freedom of Information Act. Now tens of thousands of veterans are still waiting. Military Times
As Secret Pentagon Spending Rises, Defense Firms Cash In
The share of Pentagon spending hidden from public view is rising, as are defense contractors’ revenues from it. The US Defense Department’s overall budget request increased nearly 5 percent from 2019 to 2020, but classified spending rose 6 percent, according to the consulting firm Avascent. Defense One
Space Collisions a Growing Concern as Earth Orbit Gets More Crowded
Defunct satellites account for the majority of space junk, but even small pieces of debris can do serious damage. The issue is getting worse as more and more satellites are launched into Earth orbit. UPI
ACC Recognizes Innovation, Announces Spark Tank Finalists
The finalists competed against four other teams of contestants from a multitude of career fields and experience levels. They will move on to the finals at AFWERX, where they’ll compete against winners from other major commands at the Air Force level. From there, the judge’s panel will choose six finalists from a pool of more than 20 semi-finalists—two from each MAJCOM, plus two AFWERX wildcards. USAF release
First Anti-Drone Laser Delivered to Air Force for Year-Long Test Deployment
Raytheon Co. announced the delivery, to the US Air Force, of the first high-energy laser system to counter drone threats. UPI
Russia Flies Nuclear Bombers to Africa as Putin Hosts Continent’s Leaders
Russia dispatched two nuclear-capable bombers to South Africa on a training mission on Wednesday, a flight that appeared timed to coincide with President Vladimir Putin’s opening of a flagship Russia-Africa summit designed to boost Russian influence. Reuters
One More Thing
I Just Took the World’s First 20-Hour Flight. Here’s What It Did to Me
Our plane became a flying laboratory. Bloomberg