Hartford Courant: Final Defense Bill Authorizes 63 F-35s, Other Major State-Produced Weapons
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday approved a final defense authorization bill, legislation that has generated its share of drama this year, paving the way for an increase in defense spending in Connecticut and the nation.
The $607 billion bill, a compromise between separate House and Senate defense authorization bills, approves congressional spending for 63 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters – six more than the Pentagon had requested and nearly 20 more than were authorized in 2015. The F-35 engines are made by Pratt & Whitney.
The bill also authorizes $1.4 billion in research and development funding for the Ohio-class replacement submarine, a contract Electric Boat hopes to snag, and $5.3 billion for the construction of two new Virginia-class submarines that are built by Electric Boat in partnership with Newport News Shipbuilding.
There's also authorization to spend $632 million for the Marine Corps' new CH-53K heavy lift helicopter being developed by Sikorsky Aircraft.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 11, 2015
Obama to sign defense bill with Guantanamo restrictions -- Reuters
Journalists from 12 countries visit Syria airbase where Russian aviation group is deployed -- TASS
Russia will not get involved in arms race, but has to eliminate shortfalls — Putin -- TASS
Russia to Double Arms Tests for Strategic Missile Forces in 2016 -- Sputnik
Russia’s New Il-106 Plane Will Need No Airfields -- Sputnik
Russia in the Arctic: A Different Kind of Military Presence: Analysis -- Stratfor
Iran to get Russian S-300 air defense systems by March 2016 — Iranian defense minister -- TASS
Source: Russian military delegation in Pyongyang to start talks with North Korean command -- TASS
Putin Sends Russian Military to North Korea -- The Diplomat
Russia Could Propose Saudi Arabia Arms Contracts Worth $10Bln -- Sputnik
Murphy's Law: The True Cost Of The Russian Mistrals -- Strategy Page
Revealed: China Tests Secret Missile Capable of Hitting US Satellites -- The Diplomat
Top Chinese General Visits Djibouti Amid Base Speculation -- Defense News/AFP
DUBAI: Beechcraft seeks AT-6 certification as Iraq mulls offer -- Flight Global
Warplanes: Crop Dusters At War -- Strategy Page
Ukraine Military Jet Crashes During Training, Killing Pilot -- VOA
German Bundestag Committee Unable to Fully Supervise Intelligence Agency -- Sputnik
Lockheed, Boeing Expand Presence in UAE -- Defense News
NATO's biggest military exercise since the Cold War is scary impressive -- Gizmodo
U.S. Navy eyes foreign orders, multi-year deal for V-22 Osprey -- Reuters
Experts: Bomber cost could upset F-35 plans -- Defense News
LRS-B Faces Challenging Budget Outlook -- Defense News
US Air Force Might Delay Retiring A-10 Attack Plane -- Defense One
F-35’s Joint Strike Missile Completes Flight Test -- Defense News
Latest Upgrades to Keep US Trident Ballistic Missiles Operational by 2042 -- Sputnik
Weapons: Snipers Break Another Distance Record -- Strategy Page
Sikh Americans Serving in Military Find Allies in Retired Military Leaders -- WSJ
What to Expect When You're Pregnant in the Military -- Tom Spiggle, Huffington Post
Memorial for Afghanistan, Iraq troops gets more support -- Defense News
It’s Time To Upgrade The Defense Department -- SEN. John McCain, War On the Rocks
Send in the Cyborg Marines -- Tobin Harshaw, Bloomberg
How To Thank Veterans For Their Military Service -- Task & Purpose