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☆ Pentagon awards $7.8 billion F-35 contract to Lockheed Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

April 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense said on Friday it has awarded a $7.8 billion contract modification for 126 F-35 multi-role aircraft to weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N). The modification exercises options for the production and delivery of 126 Lot 17 F-35 aircraft, to include 81 F-35A aircraft for U.S. Air Force and its allies. The order for Pentagon's most expensive weapons system, expected to be completed in August 2026, also includes 15 F-35B aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps and 13 F-35C for the U.S. Navy. Last year, the U.S. Department of Defense agreed with Lockheed Martin to build about 375 F-35 fighter jets over three years in a deal worth $30 billion. Reporting by Arshreet Singh; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Jack Teixeira: Accused Pentagon leaker's violent rhetoric raises fresh questions about top secret vetting process
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Natasha Bertrand Sean Lyngaas Zachary Cohen Haley Britzky | Natasha Bertrand | Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But that didn’t stop the Pentagon from granting a top-secret security clearance to Jack Teixeira, who prosecutors say had an arsenal of weapons at home and a history of violent online rhetoric. And the Air Force’s Inspector General investigation is specifically examining the Pentagon’s vetting process and whether any procedures were violated or ignored, Pentagon officials said. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters on Thursday that when vetting someone for a security clearance, the adjudicator examines “a sufficient period” in someone’s life to determine if they are eligible. That program – largely run by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) – aims to continuously vet security clearance holders for warning signs than periodically investigate them every five to 10 years. “Social media is a new world that the government really hasn’t gotten ahold of yet,” said Brad Moss, a lawyer who specializes in national security and security clearance law.

☆ US Special Operations Command's workhorse helicopter is getting upgrades to replace parts that are nearly 50 years old
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US special operators rely on their variant, the MH-47, for missions at night and behind enemy lines. As such, the US special-operations community's workhorse helicopter is getting upgrades to replace parts that are nearly 50 years old. US Army Special Operations Command has used Chinooks for several decades. Early versions had modifications for special operations. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed "the Night Stalkers," is the cream of the crop when it comes to US military aviation.

☆ Veterans File 500,000 Claims for Toxic Exposure
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Ben Kesling | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

President Biden said that he will fight budget cuts that could imperil the processing of veterans’ claims. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg NewsVeterans have filed half a million claims for benefits stemming from toxic exposure while serving, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday, part of the largest expansion of VA coverage in a generation. The many claims come after the VA and veteran-service organizations let veterans know about benefits and healthcare coverage for those exposed to burn pits, radioactive material, herbicides and other toxins after passage last summer of the PACT Act. The bipartisan legislation was launched in response to criticisms that the Department of Defense and the VA had not done enough to recognize the effects of burn pits and other toxic exposures or to fund research and treatment of those who had been exposed.

☆ The U.S. Military Relies on One Louisiana Factory. It Blew Up.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Gordon Lubold | Photographs Cooper Neill For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MINDEN, La.—Nearly two years ago, an errant spark inside a mill caused an explosion so big it destroyed all the building’s equipment and blew a corrugated fiberglass wall 100 feet. It also shut down the sole domestic source of an explosive the Department of Defense relies on to produce bullets, mortar shells, artillery rounds and Tomahawk missiles.

☆ Taliban Said to Kill Islamic State Militant Behind Attack That Killed 13 Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Gordon Lubold | William Mauldin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An image from a video shows U.S. Marines near Abbey Gate at Kabul’s airport following a suicide attack in 2021. Photo: Department of Defense/Associated PressWASHINGTON—Taliban fighters in Afghanistan recently killed an Islamic State militant who U.S. officials believe was responsible for the August 2021 suicide attack at the Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. service members. The attack at the airport’s Abbey Gate, during the chaotic withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan that summer, also killed at least 170 Afghans and injured 40 other U.S. troops, according to U.S. officials.

☆ Ex-Harvard Professor Sentenced in China Ties Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Gina Kolata | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

For his work on nanotechnology, he had been seen by some as a contender for the Nobel Prize. But he also secretly accepted money from China, which had established a government initiative, the Thousand Talents program, to gain access to scientific knowledge and expertise, often paying scientists lavishly. When questioned about his involvement with Thousand Talents in 2018 by federal investigators, he denied it. Why It MattersDr. Lieber’s conviction in December 2021 resulted from the China Initiative, an effort launched in 2018, under the Trump administration, to identify scientists suspected of sharing sensitive information with China. But critics said that the China Initiative had unfairly targeted academic researchers of Asian descent.

☆ Americans trying to flee Sudan are hiring private security companies to get out of the civil war zone after the US said no military evacuation is coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Hannah Getahun | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Private security contractors are being hired to evacuate Americans and other foreign nationals from Sudan. As a result, some citizens have taken it upon themselves to hire private security, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Private security for hireDale Buckner, CEO of private security firm Global Guardian, told WSJ the company's staff has escorted dozens of expatriates to neighboring countries — sometimes dodging gunfire, artillery, and mortar fire. "Our rescue teams have to navigate dozens of checkpoints in an active war zone," Buckner told WSJ. "It is not our standard procedure to evacuate American citizens living abroad," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday.

☆ US troops are moving into position for a possible embassy evacuation mission amid intense fighting in Sudan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US troops are deploying to positions near Sudan amid a worsening situation there. Forces are being deployed for possibly 'securing and potentially facilitating the departure of US Embassy personnel,' the Pentagon said. Intense fighting in Sudan has left hundreds dead and thousands more injured. The New York Times reported that American troops are being deployed to nearby Djibouti, where the US has a military installation. Sudan has been gripped by violence since Saturday when fighting broke out between Sudan's national army and a rival paramilitary group.

NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - Cybersecurity firm Forcepoint is exploring a sale of its government security unit for more than $2 billion, five people familiar with the matter said. Forcepoint is looking to offload the unit as part of its strategy to focus on growing its commercial business, which caters to large corporations, the sources added. Austin, Texas-based Forcepoint develops and creates computer security software, data protection, and firewall solutions. Last year, Forcepoint won an $89 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide software solutions that would help monitor user activity. Forcepoint also counts the likes of International Business Machines Corp (IBM.N), CVS Health Corp (CVS.N), Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) as customers.

☆ Defunct NASA spacecraft returns to Earth after 21 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A NASA satellite that observed solar flares and helped scientists understand the sun’s powerful bursts of energy will fall to Earth this week, almost 21 years after it was launched. The retired Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) spacecraft, which launched in 2002 and was decommissioned in 2018, is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere Wednesday at approximately 9:30 p.m. The risk of harm coming to anyone on Earth as a result of RHESSI’s return is low — approximately 1 in 2,467, according to NASA. From its former perch in low-Earth orbit, the satellite captured images of high-energy electrons that carry a large part of the energy released in solar flares, NASA said. NASA said that the agency, along with the Department of Defense, would monitor the satellite’s reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.

CNN —The situation on the ground in Sudan on Wednesday remained too volatile to get diplomatic staff from the US Embassy in Khartoum out of the country, a top State Department official told congressional staffers. Another US official told CNN that State Department officials are in contact with Pentagon officials in Djibouti where the US has military assets to determine the best evacuation operation. Officials told staffers Wednesday that there are an estimated 16,000 American citizens in Sudan, most of whom are dual nationals, and roughly 500 had contacted the US Embassy since the outbreak of fighting. “Within Sudan, the Department of Defense’s mission is primarily focused on providing security at the US Embassy. While operational security prevents us from going into detail, the Department of Defense, through the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, provides ongoing security for diplomatic facilities worldwide,” he said.

CNN —China is making “significant progress” building the country’s fifth research facility in Antarctica after a several years-long lull in construction, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The site – a research station China has hailed as a means to expand its scientific investigation in the Antarctic – could also be used to enhance the country’s intelligence collection, according to CSIS. In February 2020, a team of US inspectors visited the station, where they were hosted by station leader Wang Zhechao of the Polar Research Institute of China. China has established four scientific research bases in Antarctica since 1984, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Under the 1959 treaty Antarctic Treaty, to which China is party, activities on the continent are restricted to “peaceful purposes.”Military personnel are allowed to conduct scientific research, but may not set up bases, test weapons of carry out maneuvers.

☆ Citigroup tells clients how they can invest in the outer space 'goldrush'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Investors should choose carefully when investing in the outer space "goldrush" because it's a tough, capital-intensive business, according to Citigroup. Right now, Citi believes the best space-related investment is Planet Labs . It also initiated coverage of Rocket Lab and Canadian space technologies company MDA , but with neutral ratings. PL YTD mountain Planet Labs year-to-date performance Planet Labs is a provider of global, daily satellite data. Another way to play the theme is to look at incumbent aerospace and defense names that are committed to their space business, according to Citi.

☆ Leaked documents reveal China's plans to launch a supersonic spy drone that could fly 3 times the speed of sound, WaPo reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some of the documents showed China's plans for a supersonic drone, The Washington Post reported. China's WZ-8 rocket-propelled reconnaissance drones can travel three times the speed of sound. The drones could assist China in real-time mapping that would inform strategy or enable high-speed missile strikes in a future conflict, The Washington Post reported. The documents reported on by the outlet included flight paths for the drone, as well as the bomber plane used to launch the device. Representatives for the Department of Defense and China's Ministry of National Defense did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ United Nations issues rare rebuke of United States over leaked documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Richard Roth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Weeks after a trove of classified US intelligence documents were posted on social media, the United Nations issued a rare rebuke of the United States after reports that those documents allegedly revealed the US was spying on the Secretary-General and other high ranking UN officials. The UN also sent a note to the US Mission at the United Nations in New York regarding the leak, according to Dujarric. The stern reaction comes after a BBC report last week on a US intelligence leak which accused Guterres of being too soft on Russia. According to the broadcaster, the documents in the leak also includes detail of a private conversation between Guterres and his deputy Amina Mohammed. The leak appears to shed light on how Washington perceived Guterres’ handling of the Black Sea grain deal, according to the BBC.

April 18 (Reuters) - U.S. weapons maker Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) first-quarter results surpassed Wall Street targets on Tuesday despite parts and labor shortages, as simmering geopolitical tensions fueled demand from both U.S. and international customers. Shares of the company rose as much as 3.8% to hit a record high of $508.1 in early trading. The Pentagon's $858 billion defense budget for 2023 has also resulted in multiple contract wins for U.S. defense firms such as Lockheed, Raytheon Technologies (RTX.N) and Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N), which count the U.S. Department of Defense as their biggest customer. Lockheed's order backlog also fell to $145.1 billion as of quarter-end from $150 billion at the end of 2022. The missiles maker reaffirmed its full-year outlook, projecting net sales in the range of about $65 billion to $66 billion and profits between $26.60 and $26.90 per share.

☆ CEOs like Jamie Dimon, Warren Buffett, and Elon Musk want the government to fight inequality and 'reignite the American dream'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Ethan Dodd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

His proposals include investing in American industry, teaching students workplace skills, and expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit. Forecasting "storm clouds ahead," Dimon wants the government to drive economic growth by subsidizing industry, investing in the workforce, and reducing income inequality. Following in Buffett's footsteps, Dimon said JPMorgan owes its business success to the "extraordinary conditions our country creates" for economic growth. Akin to Musk, Dimon said he didn't want the government to micromanage industry, believing "Adam Smith's invisible hand still prevails." He suggested expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, a tax refund that allows lower-income working individuals and families to keep more of their earned income.

The Pentagon said on Thursday it was reviewing and updating its distribution lists of classified documents. This meant, naturally, that many more people could now view classified information. "One of the things we learned from 9/11 is ... we really need to share information," said Michael Atkinson, a former U.S. Intelligence Community inspector general. But they cannot track co-workers' private online activities - for example, posting classified information to impress others. "The Insider Threat Program was looking for other Bradley Mannings," said Aftergood.

BOSTON, April 14 (Reuters) - A 21-year-old member of the U.S. Air Force National Guard suspected of leaking highly classified military intelligence records online will make his initial appearance before a federal judge in Boston on Friday. Jack Douglas Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, was arrested by the FBI at his home on Thursday without incident. Anyone convicted of willfully transmitting national defense information can face up to 10 years in prison. Reuters has reviewed more than 50 of the documents, labeled "Secret" and "Top Secret," but has not independently verified their authenticity. The U.S. is still fighting to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from London to face criminal charges in connection with the 2010 leak.

☆ Russia's prized Spetsnaz commando units have suffered a 95% casualty rate in Ukraine, leaked documents and photos show
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's elite Spetsnaz commando units have suffered enormous casualties in Ukraine. Leaked US documents show that some units have suffered 95% casualties. Russia may take decades to rebuild the units, according to US estimates. The Department of Defense documents attribute the heavy losses to the reliance of Russian military commanders on the elite units for front-line combat. The Spetsnaz units are usually deployed in covert missons, such as operations behind enemy lines and for guiding missile strikes on sensitive targets.

☆ Big U.S. intelligence leak was by gun enthusiast in 20s -Washington Post
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 12 (Reuters) - The person who leaked U.S. classified documents prompting a national security investigation is a gun enthusiast in his 20s who worked on a military base, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing fellow members of an online chat group. The Post based its report, which did not name the person, on interviews with two members of the Discord chat group. The Department of Defense and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. U.S. national security agencies and the Justice Department are investigating the release to assess the damage to national security and relations with allies and other countries, including Ukraine. Reporting by Daniel Trotta and Idrees Ali Editing by Don Durfee and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

President Joe Biden suggested on Thursday morning that officials appeared to be nearing a breakthrough in their investigation into who leaked the documents online. The Washington Post was the first news outlet on Wednesday night to report about the gaming group, and only identified him as "OG." The Post said it reviewed approximately 300 photos of classified documents that the suspect allegedly leaked, most of which the report said have not been made public. NBC News has not yet verified the details about the gaming group and that it was the source of where the classified documents were first shared. He also said that it appears that some of the classified documents had been altered from their original form.

☆ Leaked Pentagon documents appeared on a 'Minecraft' Discord server weeks before officials knew about a breach: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Leaked Pentagon documents appeared on Discord servers weeks before the received official attention. At least 10 documents appeared on the server "Minecraft Earth Map" on March 4, Bellingcat reported. At least 10 such documents were posted in March on a Discord server dedicated to the "Minecraft " video game, Bellingcat investigator Aric Toler reported. Wow_Mao told The New York Times he does not spend much time managing his Discord server but admits he could have moderated it better. The analyst cited conversations with several members of the Discord server, who sent him images of the documents.

☆ The worst Pentagon leak in years may have started in a gamer chatroom, where people weirdly keep posting classified documents trying to win arguments on the internet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The leaked Pentagon documents may have started in an online chatroom for gamers. It's not the first time users have leaked classified or sensitive information to the internet to settle a debate. "Here, have some leaked documents," the user wrote in response to the discussion. In recent years, players of "War Thunder" — a combat video game — have shared highly sensitive information to various chatrooms on multiple occasions, including content about tanks, fighter jets, and missiles. In one case, a user posted information from the manual of an F-16 fighter jet, as well as content about the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.

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