Author: Defenceline Webdesk
Last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of the Pentagon comptroller, were at the Hill to talk reconciliation. Congressional reporter Valerie Insinna tracked what you need to know from the hearings. Plus, hear what a key lawmaker has to say about when he thinks the reconciliation bill will cross the line. Source link
INS Sindhukesari’s arrival in Colombo underscores India’s expanding naval footprint in the Indian Ocean Region, reinforcing operational synergy with Sri Lanka just days after the conclusion of the bilateral diving exercise DIVEX 2026.The visit highlights replenishment, crew rest, and deepening maritime cooperation, while also linking to broader Indo-Sri Lankan defence engagements.The Indian Navy’s Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindhukesari, arrived at the port of Colombo on 3 May 2026 for an Operational Turnaround (OTR).The submarine was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with established naval traditions.Operational Turnarounds are short port calls designed to replenish supplies, refuel, and provide rest for…
NYT The two Army soldiers were reported missing during a joint military exercise on Saturday near Cap Draa Training Area Source link
DENVER ― The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has awarded three new contracts to providers of commercial satellite data, a senior spy satellite agency official said today. Pete Muend, the head of NRO’s Commercial Systems Program Office, told the US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation’s annual GEOINT Symposium here that latest awards under the agency’s Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) contract vehicle have gone to: Canadian startup Earth Daily, to provide electro-optical imagery; ICEYE, to provide radio frequency geo-location data; and Indian startup Pixxel, to provide hyperspectral imagery. Both Earth Daily and Pixxel are brand new providers, whereas ICEYE has a previous NRO contract…
Two B-52 bombers will head back to their manufacturer for new engines this year, kicking off a long-awaited upgrade meant to help keep flying the Stratofortress until nearly their 100th birthday.On Monday, Air Force officials announced that the Commercial Engine Replacement Program had passed a critical design review originally scheduled for 2023. That clears Boeing to begin replacing the B-52’s 1960s-era Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-103 engines with new Rolls-Royce F130s.The first re-engined B-52s will be tested at Edwards Air Force Base, California, before the go-ahead is given for the rest of the fleet. As the 76 B-52H bombers receive their…
India’s private space sector marked a decisive leap forward on Sunday with the launch of GalaxEye’s Drishti satellite aboard SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket from California.The mission represents a technological first, combining a multispectral optical camera with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) on a single platform, enabling uninterrupted imaging through cloud cover and darkness, reported NDTV.This innovation directly addresses India’s tropical geography, where persistent cloud formations often render conventional optical satellites ineffective.Suyash Singh, CEO and founder of GalaxEye, explained that the idea for Drishti was born from India’s climatic realities. Unlike temperate regions in the West, India faces frequent cloud cover, which limits…
Jangoulun Singsit, Naval Technology The USVs will support the US Navy Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) exercise in Key West Source link
WASHINGTON — As the US unfurls a multi-layered plan to help commercial vessels safely transit the Strait of Hormuz, analysts tell Breaking Defense it will likely take time for commercial shipping companies to feel safe enough to move through the waters — with US forces carrying a greater risk in the interim. The US officially launched “Project Freedom” on Sunday, with the stated goal of helping commercial vessels transit safely though the strait. On a call with reporters today, US Central Command head Adm. Brad Cooper described the effort as “inherently a defensive operation.” “We are employing US ballistic missile…
The Pentagon is using the Navy’s EA-18G Growlers more than ever in the war on Iran, suggesting more development and a bigger role for aerial electronic attack are on the way.Flying from the carriers Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford, the Growlers have used jammers and missiles to confuse, suppress, and destroy communications and radar systems and surface-to-air missile batteries. They were also key to January’s seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, when they suppressed and destroyed Russian and Chinese-derived air defenses and other infrastructure to allow the abduction team to reach their Caracas target with virtually no resistance. As…
According to a TOI report, the United States has decided to proceed with a radar upgrade program for Pakistan’s fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft, a move that is expected to raise serious concerns in India.Pakistan currently operates between 75 and 85 F-16s, and the upgrade is being carried out under a $488 million contract awarded to American defence major Northrop Grumman Systems Corp.The deal, announced in April 2026, involves engineering and technical support for F-16 radar systems under the United States Air Force’s foreign military sales programme, which also covers several other countries.The announcement comes at a sensitive time in…