A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
Marine Corps officials have outlined foundational force structure adjustments in preparation for conflicts in the years ahead, and the service’s latest budget request scales back a handful of acquisition programs …
Marine Corps Pivots to Future Conflicts Read More
The U.S. Navy has modified its Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) acquisition plans. Last year, the service said it would begin buying two LUSVs per year starting in FY21. Those …
U.S. Navy Alters Large Unmanned Surface Vessel Plans Read More
At a time when much of the country’s workforce is staying home or slowing operations due to the COVID-19 outbreak, U.S. officials are calling on the defense industry to stay …
DoD Memo Calls for Defense Industrial Base to Continue Working during COVID-19 Outbreak Read More
Congress has repealed a requirement for the U.S. Air Force to develop a conventional variant of the Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) air-launched cruise missile. A nuclear LRSO is currently under development …
Congress Repeals Requirement for Conventional Long-Range Standoff Weapon Read More
The U.S. Navy has fielded the W76-2 low-yield nuclear warhead, which is used on the submarine-launched Trident II ballistic missile. The low-yield weapon is a variant of the standard W76-1 …
U.S. Navy Fields W76-2 Low-Yield Sub-Launched Nuclear Warhead Read More
The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $127.4 million contract to Gulfstream Aerospace for the delivery of two C-37B aircraft. The contract was awarded using funding from the recently passed …
U.S. Air Force Orders Two Gulfstream C-37B Aircraft Read More
Northrop Grumman was awarded a $13 million contract from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the Glide Breaker program. The contract provides for the research, development, and …
Northrop Grumman Awarded DARPA Hypersonic Missile Defense Contract Read More
A keel-laying ceremony was held January 16 for the first of two Canadian Joint Support Ships being built at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards. The ships are being built using modular construction …
Keel-Laying Ceremony Held for First Canadian Joint Support Ship Read More
Tension and uncertainty continue to mount in the wake of a U.S. military strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Tehran has vowed …
Iran Tensions Heighten while Iraq Questions U.S. Troop Presence Read More
A new defense policy bill Congress released this week gives the green light to establishing a new Space Force as the sixth Armed Service of the U.S. The new service will fall …
U.S. Defense Policy Bill Establishes Space Force Read More