The last B-52 bomber It rolled off a Boeing assembly line in Wichita, Kansas, in June 1962. Now, some 60 years later, that same factory will make parts for new engines scheduled to be installed in the wings of the still-flying B-52. Spirit AeroSystems, the company that now owns those former Boeing hangars, will build pylons and nacelles for the new engines, the company said in a statement. Each B-52 has eight engines, and the Air Force intends to replace 608 engines in total.
Dak Hardwick was recently promoted to vice president of international affairs. in the Aerospace Industries Association, one of three major trade groups promoting American aerospace and defense companies. AIA usually has a large presence at overseas air shows, which have now resumed a hiatus caused by the coronavirus. The organization also pushes to attract more students to STEM careers. Hardwick recently spoke with defense one on the group’s priorities for the coming months.
Hardwick said he runs a team that is “responsible for all trade, all defense trade, all export controls. I am now responsible for everything related to the global business environment.”
Supporting the US military, NATO allies, and the Ukrainian military in their fight against Russia is at the top of their to-do list. That includes US companies producing weapons for Ukraine, as well as replenishing US stockpiles. It also includes navigating how sanctions imposed on Russia could affect US companies with global supply chains.
Hardwick also sees himself spending a lot of time focusing on the Asia-Pacific region, as US officials still see countering China’s military advances as a top priority.
“The challenge associated with China continues to be something that drives American policy, and as a supporter of the broader foreign policy of the United States, we follow their lead,” he said.
Responding to the ever-evolving nature of the coronavirus pandemic and the supply chain disruptions it has created is also at the forefront. US officials in recent years have pushed to remove Chinese and other foreign parts from US weapons.
“We see the government taking a very aggressive stance in trying to address supply chain vulnerabilities, whether it’s domestic manufacturing or overseas sourcing,” Hardwick said.
But that supply chain must also have global partners.
“We continue to support the promotion of national manufacturing [and] the push for domestic sourcing, which is generally very helpful to our business,” Hardwick said. “But at the same time, we have to recognize the role of the global supply chain, the need for it, and the fact that we have to balance domestic sourcing and international sourcing.”
That could mean opportunities for supply chain partnerships with companies based in countries with close relationships to the US.
“Something that we continue to emphasize with the United States government, [is] that the industrial relationships that we have, both on the trade side and on the defense side, allow the US government to have very strong bilateral relationships, because the economic piece is already there,” Hardwick said.
Completing his list, Hardwick said the AIA will seek to deepen its relationships with Congress, as well as continue to focus on export control issues, defense export financing and technology transfer reforms.
Pentagon Office of Strategic Capabilities is advancing plans to build a mobile nuclear microreactor. The 1- to 5-megawatt reactor will be designed to provide power for at least three years, the Pentagon said in a statement. “This reactor will initially be assembled and operated at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and will be the first electricity-generating generation IV nuclear reactor built in the United States,” the Pentagon said. China built a similar reactor in 2021.
making moves
Former Secretary of Defense wait mark has been named Partner and President of the National Security Practice at Red Cell, a venture capital firm that “supports, builds and scales early-stage technology-led companies in healthcare and national security.” His responsibilities: “Esper will lead Red Cell’s activities by investing and building new businesses in the areas of defense, cybersecurity, international affairs, space and aerospace, and will eventually expand the company’s relationships within the government and national security sectors” .
President Biden nominated the Air Force Lieutenant General. duke richardson for his fourth star and to be the commander of the Air Force Materiel Command. Richardson, who is the top uniformed Air Force procurement officer at the Pentagon, would replace the General. arnold bunchwho is expected to retire after 37 years in uniform.
Speaking of Bunch, this week was elected to lead public schools in Hamblen County, Tennessee. Bunch grew up in Morristown, the county seat of Hamblen County. He and his wife plan to return there when he retires.
defense one
The high-level Pentagon meeting comes as the United States prepares to send more sophisticated and deadly weapons to Ukraine.
The Advanced Structures unit will specialize in the use of composite materials to make lighter and more versatile systems.
The March test is “one of the biggest steps we’ve seen” in the development of new hypersonic weapons, company officials say.
The concept study will be completed in 2023.
Attacks on Russian web services have grown considerably since the beginning of the invasion.
Coming soon new aid package to Ukraine.
“We cannot rest now,” says Biden, as Pentagon officials describe “a sense of urgency” to deploy the most advanced weapons Ukraine has been offered so far, as quickly as possible.
The USS Tripoli had 20 fifth-generation aircraft on board conducting flight operations during a recent demonstration.
