An F/A-18F Super Hornet, left, and an E/A-18G Growler on one of the Ford's aircraft elevators before being lifted from the hangar bay to the flight deck, January 21, 2020. US Navy/Mass Comm Specialist Seaman Jesus O. Aguia
Business Insider: The Navy's top civilian official says the aircraft carrier Ford's weapons elevator 'disaster' is back 'on track'
* The US Navy's newest carrier has been in the Atlantic conducting Aircraft Compatibility Testing since January 16.
* At sea, the crew has been getting more practice with some of the carrier's most important equipment: the aircraft launching and landing systems.
* Another major piece of that gear, the carrier's weapons elevators, has been "a disaster up until now," the Navy's acting secretary says, but things are now "on track."
The Navy's new, first-in-class aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, went to sea again on January 16 for more testing, including of the carrier's Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Arresting Gear.
EMALS and the AAG, as they're known, have had problems, but the Ford has done more than 70 successful launches and landings with them on this cruise, which follows improvements made during the carrier's protracted post-shakedown availability.
But one of the Ford's most important components, its advanced weapons elevators, still isn't where it needs to be.
Read more ....
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 31, 2020
Costliest U.S. Carrier Isn’t Ready to Defend Itself, Tests Show -- Bloomberg
America’s Most Advanced Aircraft Carrier Has Been Sailing Without Proper Defences – Pentagon Report -- SPutnik
The carrier Ford is trying to shake years of controversy and find its groove -- Defense News
USS Ford Plans New Aggressive Training Schedule At Sea -- Breaking Defense
Here's Why Patriot Missiles Weren't Protecting US Troops In Iraq And Why They Still Aren't -- Warzone/The Drive
Why the Army pulled Bradleys out of Syrian oil fields after one month -- Army Times
The Air Force Its Getting a New Stealth Bomber but the B-2 Remains Lethal for 1 Reason -- National Interest
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. awarded $127.4M to produce two C-37Bs -- UPI
Scramjet-Powered Cruise Missile Emerges As New U.S. Priority -- Aviation Week
The Army is testing a next-generation woobie that can hide a soldier’s heat signature from the enemy -- Task & Purpose/Military.com
US Plans to Relax Restrictions on Landmines -- Military.com/AFP
Esper says he personally briefed Trump on the seriousness of TBI after Iran attack, now at 64 cases -- Military Times
Debate over brain injuries in US military: A teachable moment -- Sandra L. Shullman, Ph.D., Military Times
House votes to rein in Trump's military authority -- The Hill
House votes to curb Trump’s military action on Iran -- Defense News
House approves pair of measures reining in Trump's military action against Iran -- CNN
The military's 2nd-highest-ranking officer wants to change the Pentagon's 'unbelievably ridiculous' classification process -- Defense News
Sexual assault reports at military academies up sharply last year -- UPI
Pentagon report shows 32 percent spike in reports of sexual assault at military academies -- The Hill
Pentagon Eyes Guantanamo Bay Military Prison for Cuts to Personnel, Infrastructure -- Military.com
Rocket Lab successfully launches U.S. spy satellite -- UPI
As tech startups catch DoD’s eye, big investors are watching -- Defense News
The FBI is reportedly probing a notorious Israeli spyware company that was linked to the Jeff Bezos phone hack -- Business Insider
Israel Aerospace Industries nabs $240M for T-38 replacement wings -- UPI
Israel Tests Rocket Propulsion System for 2nd Time in 2 Months - Defence Ministry -- Sputnik
Here's Why Germany Just Canceled a $2.5 Billion Deal to Buy Northrop Drones -- Motley Fool
Greece ratifies major military expansion with US -- Greek City Times
Russia to extend service life for carriers of Avangard hypersonic boost-glide vehicle -- TASS
China's New Anti-Stealth Radar Could Mean Big Trouble For America's F-22 Raptor -- National Interest
Why Is China Providing Drones to Fuel Libya's Civil War? -- David Axe, National Interest
Coronavirus Case Suspected in Djibouti, Where US and China Base Troops -- Military.com
Coronavirus could become a major security threat in developing countries, US military commanders warn -- Military Times
