Air Force underestimating aircraft maintenance delays, GAO finds
The Air Force was found to be using revised target dates for tracking aircraft maintenance, making it seem as if there were little or no delays.
Pentagon & Congress
Barracks improvements, installation safety top priorities for military construction budget
The $21.5 billion budget request for military barracks would address a backlog of construction and repairs, logistics leaders said.
Air Force MQ-9 fleet drops to 135 aircraft after Iran combat losses
The Air Force is seeking to backfill the inventory of MQ-9 Reapers and field a cheaper, more expendable replacement.
AI tool has ‘saved a lot of aircraft’ in Epic Fury, AFSOC chief says
Lt. Gen. Michael Conley said “necessity had been the mother of invention” in spurring the service to apply available machine learning tools in combat.
US special operations leaders frustrated by inability to modify their own equipment
The military must wait for manufacturers to fix or upgrade equipment, leaving them with outdated capabilities as technology evolves quickly, they said.
Austrian jets intercept US military planes two days in a row
The May 10 intercept reportedly took place over the Totes Gebirge mountain range in Upper Austria, over 60 kilometers from the German border.
Trump’s Golden Dome missile shield estimated to cost $1.2 trillion
A national missile defense system would cost $1.2 trillion to build and maintain over the next 20 years, a nonpartisan federal agency estimated.
Coast Guard bans kratom, similar drugs immediately
Kratom is not a federally controlled substance in the U.S. and is available legally in 44 states in vape shops, other retail stores and online.
Arcade games satirizing Iran war appear at DC War Memorial
The game, “Operation Epic Furious: Strait To Hell,” was developed in response to the administration’s use of video game footage to share successes in Iran.
Pentagon seeks additional funding as cost of Iran war tops $29 billion
The increase from $25 billion just two weeks ago reflects “updated repair and replacement of equipment costs,” along with the “general operational costs."
Former NFL tight end convicted for Medicare, VA fraud scheme
He was sentenced to 16 years in prison for a yearslong plot that cost Medicare and VA nearly $200 million.
US, partner nations sink two decommissioned ships during Exercise Balikatan
A two-day strike saw the sinking of two vessels, utilizing land, sea and air platforms from the U.S., Philippine, Japanese and Canadian forces.
Poll: Americans don’t think Trump has explained Iran war goals
One in three Republicans and almost all Democrats said Trump has not “clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.”
Air Force experimenting with using AI for promotion boards
New uses of the Air Force's “AI Action Team” include promotion board screening and ranking.
Epic Fury has Navy rethinking carrier deployment tempo
The record-breaking deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford has reopened the debate about how the Navy should structure deployments and time at home.
B-1 returns to flight after restoration, surviving the ‘boneyard’
The B-1B Lancer returned to service at Dyess Air Force Base following extensive maintenance efforts by the Tinker Air Force Base crew.
‘Maverick Act’ saves last 3 F-14 Tomcats from destruction
New legislation is keeping hope alive that the iconic swept-wing fighter could someday fly again.
