US special ops gets first Skyraider II close-support planes, eyes bespoke mission sets
Meanwhile an L3Harris exec told Breaking Defense that US Special Operations Command could request more of the prop planes than originally planned.
AFSOC experimenting with small cruise missiles, new ways to use old kit
"There's a reality that aviation is incredibly expensive," AFSOC head Lt. Gen. Michael Conley said. "So I'm really challenging the team to figure out, what can we do with the things we already have that we haven't done in the past?"
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Cybersecurity skills don’t come from a manual, but from practical hands-on training
Cybersecurity skills must evolve in near-real time as Zero Day threats continue and AI provides new challenges.
AFSOC seeks industry feedback for ‘Swarm Carrier’ drone
The Swarm Carrier would be one of three drone types that Air Force Special Operations Command expects will strengthen a budding initiative to incorporate more autonomous systems in missions.
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New capabilities make GA-ASI’s MQ-9A Reaper® more resilient against cyber threats & anti-aircraft weapons
These upgrades will play a central role in the way American and allied forces fight, and are destined to keep them at the vanguard for a long time.
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MQ-9B: Taking on the world’s toughest RPA missions, from reconnaissance to rescue
Changing the world for good with the advancements of unmanned aircraft.
Air Force, Navy ground V-22 Osprey fleet days after fatal crash off Japan
Air Force Special Operations Command said that "preliminary investigation information" into a Nov. 29 crash that killed eight "indicates a potential materiel failure caused the mishap, but the underlying cause of the failure is unknown at this time."
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JADC2 gets its first C2 gateway authorized to update itself
The initial command and control gateway to earn a continuous Authority to Operate is changing multi-domain operations.
Japan grounds its V-22 Ospreys, calls for US to ground theirs after fatal crash off Japanese island
A senior Defense Ministry official, Taro Yamato, said today that Japan plans to suspend flights of its 14 Ospreys temporarily. A planned training flight in southern Japan was canceled.
Slife, former Air Force special operations chief, tapped as service No. 2
Lt. Gen. Jim Slife will become the Air Force vice chief — if he can get past a confirmation blockade that has stalled out nominations in Congress.
EXCLUSIVE: Air Force clears CV-22 Ospreys to fly after 2-week safety shutdown
Long-term, the service still seeks to understand what is actually the root cause of the issue, and “finding and implementing a materiel solution," according to a spokeswoman.
Air Force Special Operations Expects Amphibious MC-130J Test Next Year
Notably, Slife called out the need to operate in and around “an island environment that is not serviced by a major fixed operating base runway.”
Michigan: Arsenal of Democracy for dangerous times
Michigan’s defense ecosystem and expertise makes it a special asset for production.
Can Special Ops Build A C-130 Seaplane? They’re Trying
“Is it going to be cost effective? That’s why we have several lines of effort early on and there will be plenty of off-ramp [opportunities] along the way to determine if we move forward” said Col. Ken Kuebler, SOCOMs Fixed Wing chief.
Special Ops Undergoing Historic Transformation, AFSOC Says
"The SOF that we have is not the SOF we will need" for the future, head of Air Force Special Ops Command, Lt. Gen. James Slife, warned today.
Anduril Buys Mini-Drone Maker Area-I
The new owners bring venture capital and software expertise to upgrade Area-I’s ALTIUS mini-drone, already a favorite in Army experiments with ‘Air-Launched Effects.’
AFSOC Pitches New Light Attack Plane To Congress
"The whole reason we’re doing this is because the National Defense Strategy talks about the need to do cost effective [counter-terrorism] operations, cost effective irregular warfare,” AFSOC commander Gen. Slife said.