DefenceTalkThe Pentagon will host China’s Defense Minister General Chang Wanquan for talks Monday at a time of “positive momentum” in military relations between the two countries, a US official said. Chang was due to start his visit Friday in Hawaii where he was scheduled to meet the head of US Pacific Command, before heading to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinas-defense-minister-at-pentagon-for-talks-monday-48788/

DefenceTalkHundreds of thousands of Defense Department civilian employees who have had to take a weekly unpaid day off from work since July 8 are getting some relief, as the total number of furlough days has been reduced from 11 to six, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced today. Here is the complete text of the secretary’s […]https://www.defencetalk.com/hagel-announces-reduction-in-civilian-furlough-days-48678/

DefenceTalkThe US Army could be reduced by a further 15 percent, with cuts to the numbers of full-time active soldiers as well as reserves, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday. He said a review found that priority missions could be handled with between 420,000 and 450,000 active troops — compared to the 490,000 currently envisaged […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-could-reduce-army-by-further-15-percent-hagel-48651/

DefenceTalkThe German parliament has taken on the task of conducting a rapid-fire investigation into the Euro Hawk drone debacle. With elections looming, the defense minister’s testimony could prove politically explosive. In a period of just days, German parliamentarians hope to conduct an investigation into the failure of the 600-million-euro Euro Hawk drone project, a process […]https://www.defencetalk.com/german-defense-minister-to-face-grilling-over-euro-hawk-debacle-48549/

DefenceTalkFollowing recent testing failures, the director of the Missile Defense Agency told Congress today that he is committed to a full evaluation of the way forward for the nation’s ballistic missile defense system. Navy Vice Adm. James Syring told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee that the most recent flight test, conducted July […]https://www.defencetalk.com/additional-missile-defense-tests-necessary-dod-official-48514/

DefenceTalkHeavy US government spending cuts took a sharp swing on Monday as the Pentagon began putting about 650,000 civilian workers on unpaid leave. The Department of Defense’s civilian employees face furloughs of up to 11 days through the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The furloughs will slash their paychecks by 20 percent […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-begins-furloughs-civilians-48336/

DefenceTalkA recently completed defense acquisition program report, which is now before Congress, is part of a data-driven effort to find out what’s working best in equipping the nation’s military and to fix what isn’t, the Pentagon’s undersecretary of acquisition, technology and logistics said in an interview with American Forces Press Service. Frank Kendall said the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-releases-first-annual-acquisition-report-48324/

DefenceTalkThe 50th Paris Air Show this year offered some anniversary surprises, however more or less expected, starting with the large Russian defence industry exposure. While almost hiding out in the static display area, the newly upgraded Russian jet fighter Sukhoi Su-35s stole the thunder several times from other aircraft in the skies. Its high manoeuvrability […]https://www.defencetalk.com/the-50th-paris-air-show-manages-a-few-surprises-for-the-defence-industry-48241/

DefenceTalkThe Russian Defense Ministry is considering two possible designs for a replacement for the obsolete Antonov An-26 military transport aircraft, a senior ministry official said on Monday. The ministry is considering development of a light military transport plane based on the Antonov An-140 turboprop airliner made by Aviakor in Samara, or the rival Ilyushin Il-112V […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-defense-ministry-mulls-an-26-cargo-plane-replacement-48230/

DefenceTalkChinese hackers have gained access to secret designs for a slew of sophisticated US weapons programs, officials said Tuesday, possibly jeopardizing the American military’s technological edge. The breaches were part of a broad Chinese campaign of espionage against top US defense contractors and government agencies, officials said, confirming a Washington Post account of a Pentagon […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinese-hackers-spying-on-us-weapons-programs-47956/