Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter sees a variety of missions for the Pentagon’s new, secretive space center — and that includes fighting the Islamic State. – Washington Post's Checkpoint
In a surprise move, Senate Armed Service Committee Chairman John McCain is looking to eliminate the F-35 joint program office, currently the hub of the gargantuan operation that spans three US services and 12 nations. – Defense News
Analysts suggest McCain’s changes to the acquisitions structure, revealed Thursday as part of his committee’s National Defense Authorization Act markup, would send the Pentagon back to an older structure, to a time when the services' handling of basic acquisition programs and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) was limited to looking at future innovations. – Defense News
The Marine Corps is getting back to the basics to solve its aviation readiness problems, with a focus on contracting for spare parts and enhanced training for aircraft maintainers at the heart of several type/model/series’ readiness recovery plans, the deputy commandant for aviation told USNI News this week. – USNI News
Defense Secretary Ash Carter installed a new Air Force general atop the outfit that keeps the country safe from enemy air power: the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD. – Defense One
Internal Pentagon drama is strangling Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s signature initiative to make the military’s promotion system function more like a Fortune 500 company, leaving the controversial reform effort unlikely to succeed during the Obama administration's final months. – Military Times
The fight over women registering for the military draft is splitting Democrats. Some see the issue as one of basic gender equality, arguing women should face the same requirements as men. Others argue that no one should be required to register for the draft, and that including women would be a step in the wrong direction. – The Hill
Aiming specifically to determine how the High Energy Laser Mobile Test Truck might help troops in the Army of 2025, the service’s weapon system participated in an exercise at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, conducted through the Fires Center of Excellence Battle Lab. – Defense News