Defense news

• In apparent first, Navy drone boat rescues helicopter crew downed at sea

  09-06-2026 21:09 via defenseone.com
  
  A U.S. Navy drone boat rescued the crew of an Army helicopter downed near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening,an apparent first for the U.S. military. The AH-64 Apache went down around 7:30 p.m. ET near the coast of Oman while “patrolling international waters,” U.S. Central Command officials said in a Tuesday news release. Roughly two hours later, a Corsair unmanned surface vessel operated by 5th Fleet’s drone-focused Task Force 59 arrived on the scene, said Capt. Tim H
  
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• The director of national intelligence needs more than political loyalty to do the job

  09-06-2026 05:42 via defenseone.com
  
  President Donald Trump’s choice for acting intelligence director, Bill Pulte, has proved controversial. Pulte’s thin background has sparked resistance from Democrats on Capitol Hill, which is not surprising. But some Republicans too have expressed dismay at the president’s choice, a Trump loyalist who currently runs the Federal Housing Finance Agency. “No qualifications,” said U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas.The
  
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• What if the A-10 had AI & electronic-warfare gear?

  09-06-2026 05:19 via defenseone.com
  
  Lawmakers want to see if the Air Force’s venerable A-10 Thunderbolt IIs can be souped up with artificial intelligence, electronic-warfare gear, or better comms to keep it in the fight.The House Armed Service Committee’s version of the annual defense policy bill included several Warthog-related provisions as part of an en bloc package. One would require a report on potential A-10 capabilities by Jan. 15, 2027, from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, and th
  
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