Pax Joins Pilot Program on Expanding Commissary Benefit
The NAS Patuxent River commissary is participating in a US Department of Defense 120-day pilot program to test the feasibility of expanding the commissary benefit to DoD civilians at all stateside commissaries.
Who’s on Trump’s List for DefSec?
Who will be the next US secretary of defense? Familiar names being floated include Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) and Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL). Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on the list and then off in a matter of days.
FAA Issues Final Rule for Powered-Lift eVTOLs
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued its final rule for powered-lift aircraft, which creates the operating and pilot training basis for eVTOLs. This development is critical to the success of the advanced air mobility industry, says the FAA.
Study Reviews Environmental Impact of Navy’s Offshore Training, Activities
The Department of the Navy and US Coast Guard have published information evaluating the environmental impact of Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing study area. The comment period ends Nov. 21.
Lessons Learned in Red Sea, Ukraine
US Navy ADM Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations, said the service is taking lessons from its operations in the Red Sea to help US military leaders prepare for a potential future conflict with China. The service is also looking at what Ukraine has done to hold off the Russians in the Black Sea.
Threat of a Government Shutdown Looms
Congress has two weeks to avoid a government shutdown. Both chambers are nowhere near a government spending agreement for fiscal 2025.
Navy Recruiting Rebounds ‘Significantly’
US Navy VADM Rick Cheeseman said the service’s recruiting numbers have rebounded “significantly,” but they still fall short of the boot camp goal, which was to sign up 40,600 recruits by the end of the month. The Navy will be about 5,000 sailors short of the target to get all recruits into the 10-week training course by the end of the fiscal year.
Final Presidential Helicopter Delivered
Sikorsky has delivered the final VH-92A Patriot presidential helicopter. The air frame is most famously known as Marine One when carrying America’s commander-in-chief. President Joe Biden made the first presidential flight last week aboard one of the new generation of Marine One helicopters.
US Expands Military Presence in Middle East
The US will expand its military presence in the Middle East amid growing tensions. The Pentagon has ordered the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the region to replace the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group.
House Defense Spending Bill Includes More F-35s, One Attack Sub
The US House on Friday narrowly passed its version of the $833 billion defense spending bill for fiscal 2025. The legislation would buy eight more F-35s beyond the Pentagon’s budget request of 68, while only procuring one Virginia-class attack submarine instead of the usual two vessels the bill usually provides.
