Although US defense strategy now focuses primarily on counterinsurgency operations, it’s still important to give incoming soldiers a proper foundation in all types of combat scenarios, Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, deputy commanding general of Army Training and Doctrine Command for initial military training, told reporters Wednesday in Washington, D.C. “I’ve been in this job for 35 years and it’s never been as tough as it is right now to determine how to do the right thing,” he said. He added, “we’re not just focused on COIN. We’re focused on combined arms operations and wide-arm security.” Israel is a perfect example of why one shouldn’t train solely for the current fight, said Hertling. “The Israelis focused on the Intifada and then … found [themselves] in a fight against Hamas,” he explained.
The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc. and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems matching $17.7 million contracts for an "Off-Board Sensing Station,” which is an unmanned aircraft that would extend a manned fighter’s sensing range and also potentially carry additional weapons for that aircraft. The cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts…