June 4, 2026

Parties Must Cooperate on DoD Budget

Pentagon Capitol

Republicans are still short on the votes required to end debate on bills such as an annual DoD budget, so the two parties must agree on difficult issues.

Young Veterans Elected to Congress

American flag

Congress will include the largest class of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans next year, although the overall number of veteran lawmakers continues to decline.

Hagel Seeks BRAC Cooperation

Mr. Hagel believes the Pentagon needs a strong partnership with Congress to achieve critical priorities including another round of BRAC base closures.

Military Ebola Quarantine Approved

DefSec Chuck Hagel approved a 21-day quarantine for all military personnel leaving Ebola stricken areas of West Africa.

China’s J-31 Stealth Fighter Unveiled Soon

The J-31 stealth fighter is a land based jet but could also evolve into a carrier based ‘naval configuration’, and become a direct competitor for the F-35.

China Can Track F-35 JSF

F-35C JSF formation

China’s “passive” radar detection device may be able to track the F-35 stealthy fighter at distances of up to 400 kilometers.

Navy to Update Maritime Strategy

H-53E Sea Dragon

The Navy will release a new version of their global maritime strategy document to face new factors including China’s navy, cybersecurity and budget cuts.

Defense Employees Dissatisfied

office workers

A recent survey found that civilian defense employees are increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs and are unhappy with senior leadership and managers.

Iraq Airstrikes Ineffectual

Valiant Shield Harpoon

Islamic fighters hide in urban areas to elude the airstrikes and are succeeding in taking new territory.

Norway Moves Forward on F-35 Buy

F-35s in Flight

With plans to acquire 52 F-35s, Oslo has already approved the purchase of 16 jets, and that is likely to increase when the budget is approved in early 2015.