A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper outlined plans to build a Navy fleet consisting of over 500 manned and unmanned ships by 2045. The planned fleet features a larger submarine component, …
Esper Charts Course for Future Navy Fleet Read More
Massive federal deficits, exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis, have raised serious questions about the future of U.S. defense spending. Even before the pandemic hit the U.S., the Pentagon’s $705.4 …
Navigating the DoD Acquisition Budget During Uncertain Times Read More
The Senate Armed Services Committee passed its version of the FY21 defense authorization bill on June 10 by a vote of 25-2. The legislation authorizes $740.5 billion in defense spending …
Senate Bill Addresses Pacific Deterrence, Legacy Aircraft Retirements, and GPS Interference Read More
The House Armed Services Committee announced its markup schedule for the FY21 defense authorization bill. The full committee markup is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1. The Subcommittee on Intelligence and …
House Armed Services Committee Schedules Defense Policy Bill Markup July 1 Read More
The U.S. Air Force has awarded development contracts to 28 vendors for its Advanced Battle Management System that could be worth $950 million over five years. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts allow …
U.S. Air Force Awards $950 Million for Advanced Battle Management System Development Read More
The U.S. Marine Corps has issued a Request for Information for a counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS). The RFI states that the service may procure from six to 10 systems. The …
Marine Corps Seeks Information on Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Read More
The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee has announced its schedule for marking up the Pentagon’s FY21 budget request, which was released back in February. The full committee markup will take …
Senate Armed Services Committee Announces Budget Markup Schedule Read More
The White House has announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty. The decision initiates a six-month buffer period before a formal exit takes place. The Open Skies Treaty …
U.S. Follows Through on Open Skies Treaty Withdrawal Read More
Production of the first Su-35 for the Egyptian Air Force has begun. A military diplomatic source said the following to state-owned media outlet TASS Russian News Agency over the weekend: …
Su-35 Production for Egypt Begins Read More
When a weapon system is purchased by or gifted to a state, it will then generally enter into service with that state’s military and be put to use either in …
Caution: Armaments Not Intended for Use Read More