DefenceTalkThe Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office has completed equipping the 1/501st Aviation Battalion, 1st Armored Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade, from Fort Bliss, Texas, with the RQ-7Bv2 (Tactical Common Data Link) Shadow Unmanned Aircraft System, or UAS. The unit is the first to receive the Shadow v2 and have it organically assigned to the battalion. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-equips-first-shadow-uas-v2-unit-63832/

DefenceTalkMilitary personnel and defense contractors celebrated delivery of the first low-rate initial production M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer to the Army during a ceremony here, April 9. “The M109A7 stands at the vanguard of a series of ground combat modernization upgrades, which will significantly enhance the Army’s combat fleet for decades to come,” said Heidi Shyu, the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/army-accepts-delivery-of-first-m109a7-self-propelled-howitzer-system-63817/

DefenceTalkIn late March, the Army accepted delivery of the 100th AH-64E Apache helicopter. The “Echo” model is a complete rebuild of the AH-64D model. It includes an improved drive system, composite main rotor blades, a more powerful 701D GE engine, is fully digitized, and has level-4 manned-unmanned teaming, which allows pilots to control unmanned aerial […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-accepts-100th-apache-echo-model-63742/

DefenceTalkThe Army will update its policy on tattoos during the coming weeks, making it more accommodating to current social norms, the Army’s chief of staff said. During a press conference during the Association of the United States Army Global Force Symposium and Exposition here, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said the service regularly […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-to-revise-tattoo-policy-63723/

DefenceTalkThe Army’s vice chief of staff said the $613 billion Overseas Contingency Operations, or OCO, funding does not allow the Army the flexibility required to get at home-station readiness for units that are not deploying. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn testified before the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness, March 25. “It also does not allow […]https://www.defencetalk.com/allyn-army-needs-predictable-consistent-funding-to-get-at-readiness-63685/

DefenceTalkDespite cancelling its quest for an Armed Aerial Scout, or AAS, aircraft – a replacement for the OH-58 Kiowa – an Army leader told Congress there is still a valid need for that type of aircraft. During a March 19 hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, subcommittee on tactical air and land forces, Maj. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/armed-aerial-scout-still-valid-requirement-us-army-says-63605/

DefenceTalkThe board of directors for the largest science and technology library in the Army met March 11 at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center, or AMRDEC. Redstone Scientific Information Center, or RSIC, is a unique, national asset containing a collection of specialized materials including technical reports, contractor reports, technical memorandums, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-armys-largest-technical-library-collaborates-to-define-its-future-63590/

DefenceTalkUnrelenting budget constraints have degraded Army readiness and modernization to historically low levels, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno told a Senate panel here today. Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee alongside Army Secretary John M. McHugh, Odierno discussed the impact of sequestration on the Army’s readiness and modernization, and the risks […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-chief-readiness-degraded-to-historically-low-levels-63482/

DefenceTalkThree Army technologies were in play at the recently conducted Army Expeditionary Warfighter Experiment, or AEWE, on Fort Benning, Georgia. “AEWE is [Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC] live, prototype experimentation campaign,” said Harry J. Lubin, chief of the experimentation branch, Maneuver Center of Excellence. This year, 66 industry and military technologies participated in AEWE. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-warfighter-experiment-highlights-new-technologies-63430/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Army science and technology community is charting the future of military vertical lift aviation that will enable warfighters to accomplish missions not possible today. The Army, supported by NASA and the Navy, is combining its areas of technical expertise to accomplish the aggressive scientific and engineering goals necessary to develop a new fleet […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-engineers-define-future-aviation-fleet-63374/