Us Defense Department

US House passes defence bill to raise troop pay, overhaul weapons purchases

The House voted to pass a sweeping defence policy bill on Wednesday that authorises USD 900 billion in military programmes, including a pay raise for troops and an overhaul of how the Department of Defence buys weapons. The bill's passage comes at a time of increasing friction between the Republican-controlled Congress and President Donald Trump's administration over the management of the military. The annual National Defense Authorization Act typically gained bipartisan backing, and the White House has signalled "strong support" for the must-pass legislation, saying it is in line with Trump's national security agenda. Yet tucked into the over-3,000-page bill are several measures that push back against the Department of Defence, including a demand for more information on boat strikes in the Caribbean and support for allies in Europe, such as Ukraine. Overall, the sweeping bill calls for a 3.8 per cent pay raise for many military members as well as housing and facility improvements o

Who is Ashley Tellis, Indian-origin expert held in US over China links?

Ashley Tellis, a leading US-India policy expert, was arrested for keeping over a thousand pages of top secret defence documents at his home

Indian-origin US strategic expert Ashley Tellis held over China links

Tellis is also a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington think tank

OpenAI wins $200 mn contract with Pentagon to pilot AI for defence tasks

OpenAI will work with the Defense Department to come up with ways that AI can help with administrative tasks, such as getting health care for US military members and helping prevent cyberattacks

Pakistan modernising nuclear arsenal to counter India's edge: US intel

A US intelligence report warns of Pakistan's growing nuclear capabilities, China's support, and security flashpoints with India, Iran, and Afghanistan

Explained: What is the US’ new ‘golden dome’ missile defense system? | Trump | Defence news

US President Donald Trump has announced an ambitious space-based missile shield called ‘golden dome’. Watch the video to learn all about it.

US approves $131 mn arms deal with India to boost Indo-Pacific vigilance

The deal includes the delivery of advanced SeaVision software to India, designed to enhance real-time maritime surveillance

US defense secy shared Yemen attack details in second Signal chat with wife

Pete Hegseth shared details about the Houthis attack in a second private Signal group chat that included his wife and brother: Details here

Pentagon axes $5.1 bn 'wasteful' IT deals with Accenture, Deloitte, others

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimates the Pentagon will save nearly $4 billion from the terminated IT and consulting contracts deemed non-essential

Trump halts Ukraine intel sharing, undermining HIMARS effectiveness

The US has suspended intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, limiting Kyiv's ability to use HIMARS effectively against Russia and raising concerns over its battlefield strategy in the ongoing war

Zelenskyy ready for strong investment, security deal with US president

Zelenskyy also spoke about his meeting with Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg in his address to the nation. He also said that Ukraine needs strong agreements with the US that truly work

Hegseth's former sister-in-law alleges wife's abuse in affidavit to Senate

Senators vetting the nomination of Pete Hegseth for US defence secretary received an affidavit on Tuesday from a former sister-in-law alleging that the onetime Fox News host was abusive to his second wife, to the point where she feared for her safety. Hegseth has denied the allegation. The sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, was formerly married to the nominee's brother, and in an affidavit obtained by The Associated Press, she said she believes that Pete Hegseth is "unfit" to run the defence department based on what she witnessed and heard. She said she first relayed her allegations to the FBI last December but was concerned that the information was not shared with Congress as senators consider Hegseth's nomination to lead the Pentagon. The affidavit describes Hegseth's treatment of his second wife, Samantha, and alleges repeat drunkenness and a domestic situation where Samantha had a safe word to indicate if she was in danger at home. Danielle Hegseth said Samantha texted that safe

$368 bn question: Will Trump renegotiate the AUKUS treaty or walk away?

This illustrates the enduring Australian government support for AUKUS and its centrality to our defence planning, as well as the significant concern this enthusiasm is not shared by Trump or his team

Trump's pick to lead Defence Department accused of sexual assault in 2017

Pete Hegseth, a popular Fox News host who is Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Defence, was accused of sexual assault in 2017 after a speaking appearance at a Republican women's event in Monterey, California, according to a statement released by the city. No charges were filed in the case. Hegseth's attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told The Associated Press the allegations were completely false. This was investigated by the police at the time and they found no evidence, Parlatore said. Monterey City officials declined to release a police report that documented the accusations and instead issued a brief statement Thursday night in response to press inquiries. According to that statement, Monterey Police were contacted in October 2017 to investigate a sexual assault that allegedly took place several days earlier at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey and involved Hegseth. The person who reported the assault - whose name, age and sex were not released - had bruises on the

China's Hesai to continue lawsuit against US govt over blacklisting

The blacklist stems from the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which requires the Pentagon to identify 'Chinese Military Companies' operating in the US

Nato summit showcases significant defence deals for RTX, Boeing, and others

Norway's Nammo and RTX's Raytheon business unit agreed to partner to build rocket motors

Lockheed Martin subsidiaries reach $70 mn settlement for overcharging Navy

Two Lockheed Martin subsidiaries have agreed to pay the federal government $70 million for overcharging the Navy for aircraft parts, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday. The federal agency says Sikorsky Support Services, based in Stratford, Connecticut, and Derco Aerospace, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, knowingly entered into an improper subcontract for spare parts and materials for aircrafts used to train Navy pilots. Under the contract, Sikorsky purchased the parts from Derco at the cost Derco paid other suppliers, plus a 32% markup. Sikorsky then billed the Navy for the price it paid Derco, in violation of federal regulations barring such arrangements, which prosecutors said drive up government costs. Today's settlement demonstrates that the Justice Department will ensure that government contractors do not skirt the law and engage in self-dealing that may artificially inflate their charges at the expense of the American taxpayers," Brian Boynton, head of the

2023 defence wrap: US supports India's defence modernisation plans

Calling 2023 a 'decisive year', the US Department of Defence, in an official release has stated that it is supporting allies and partners as they invest in their capabilities

Sensitive US military emails reach Russian ally due to 'typo leak'

Millions of US military emails were mistakenly sent to Mali; the leak has exposed highly sensitive information, including diplomatic documents, tax returns, travel details of top officers

Russia struggling to recruit soldiers for Ukraine: US Defense official

Last week, Putin signed a decree to boost Russia's combat personnel from 1.9 million to 2.04 million starting next year