As the Pentagon’s No. 2 military officer prepares to retire next month following decades of service, including leading key strategic and space commands, Gen. John Hyten’s biggest regret is how vulnerable the nation’s defense satellite system is to attack.

The Pentagon is hoping there are no schedule delays or overruns if defense industry employees do not get COVID-19 vaccines and leave their jobs as the deadline under President Joe Biden’s executive order approaches.

U.S. officials are in advanced discussions with Pakistan for a permanent agreement to use that country’s air space for counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, and are still talking with other nearby nations such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for potential basing, a top Pentagon official told lawmakers.

The commander of the United Arab Emirates Air Force has visited Israel for the first time, as defense relations between the two countries warm following the normalization of diplomatic relations.

Lockheed Martin was by far the largest recipient of defense contracts in fiscal 2020 after receiving a 60% increase in Defense Department funding when compared to fiscal 2019, the Pentagon announced Oct. 21.

More NATO members have joined alliance efforts to develop new-generation ground-based air defense systems. 

The fiscal 2023 budget process will drive discussions on opening up weapons negotiations with Russia and China, with a specific goal of more transparency to avoid miscalculation, the head of the House Armed Services Committee said Oct. 21.

Climate change will harm military readiness at home through extreme weather events as climate-related stressors create further instability, possibly leading to additional conflicts, multiple U.S. governmental agencies claim in reports released Oct. 21.