NewzIntel.com

Category: Aviation

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Program Builds Bridge From Military to Civilian Careers for Johnson Team Members

    Source: NASA

    Of all the possible entry points to NASA, the agency’s SkillBridge Program has been instrumental in helping servicemembers transition from the military and into civilian careers. Offered in partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD), the program enables individuals to spend their final months of military service working with a NASA office or organization. SkillBridge fellows work anywhere from 90 to 180 days, contributing their unique skillsets to the agency while building their network and knowledge.
    The Johnson Space Center in Houston hosted NASA’s first SkillBridge fellow in 2019, paving the way for dozens of others to follow. SkillBridge participants are not guaranteed a job offer at the end of their fellowship, but many have gone on to accept full-time positions with NASA. About 25 of those former fellows currently work at Johnson, filling roles as varied as their military experiences.

    Miguel Shears retired from the Marine Corps in November 2023. He ended his 30 years of service as the administration, academics, and operations chief for the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia, where he was also an adjunct professor. Shears completed a SkillBridge fellowship with FOD in the summer and fall of 2023, supporting the instructional systems design team. He was hired as a full-time employee upon his military retirement and currently serves as an instructional systems designer for the Instructor Training Module, Mentorship Module, and Spaceflight Academy. He conducts training needs analysis for FOD, as well.

    Ever Zavala was very familiar with Johnson before becoming a SkillBridge fellow. He spent the last three of his nearly 24-year Air Force career serving as the deputy director of the DoD Human Spaceflight Payloads Office at Johnson. His team oversaw the development, integration, launch, and operation of payloads hosting DoD experiments on small satellites and the International Space Station. He also became a certified capsule communicator, or capcom, in December 2022, and was the lead capcom for SpaceX’s 28th commercial resupply services mission to the orbiting laboratory.
    Zavala’s SkillBridge fellowship was in Johnson’s Astronaut Office, where he worked as a capcom, capcom instructor, and an integration engineer supporting the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program. He was involved in developing a training needs analysis and agency simulators for the human landing system, among other projects.
    He officially joined the center team as a full-time contractor in August 2024. He is currently a flight operations safety officer within the Flight Operations Directorate (FOD) and continues to serve as a part-time capcom.

    Carl Johnson thanks his wife for helping him find a path to NASA. While she was a Pathways intern — and his girlfriend at the time — she gave him a tour of the center that inspired him to join the agency when he was ready to leave the Army. She helped connect him to one of the center’s SkillBridge coordinators and the rest is history.
    Johnson was selected for a SkillBridge fellowship in the Dynamic System Test Branch. From February to June 2023, he supported development of the lunar terrain vehicle ground test unit and contributed to the Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS), which simulates reduced gravity for astronaut training.
    Johnson officially joined the center team as an electrical engineer in the Engineering Directorate’s Software, Robotics, and Simulation Division in September 2023. He is currently developing a new ARGOS spacewalk simulator and training as an operator and test director for another ARGOS system. 
    Johnson holds an electrical engineering degree from the United States Military Academy. He was on active duty in the Army for 10 years and concluded his military career as an instructor and small group leader for the Engineer Captains Career Course. In that role, he was responsible for instructing, mentoring, and preparing the next generation of engineer captains.

    Kevin Quinn served in the Navy for 22 years. His last role was maintenance senior chief with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31, known as “the Dust Devils.” Quinn managed the operations and maintenance of 33 aircraft, ensuring their readiness for complex missions and contributing to developmental flight tests and search and rescue missions. He applied that experience to his SkillBridge fellowship in quality assurance at Ellington Field in 2024. Quinn worked to enhance flight safety and astronaut training across various aircraft, including the T-38, WB-57, and the Super Guppy. He has continued contributing to those projects since being hired as a full-time quality assurance employee in 2025.

    Andrew Ulat retired from the Air Force after serving for 21 years as an intercontinental ballistic missile launch control officer and strategic operations advisor. His last role in the military was as a director of staff at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. There he served as a graduate-level instructor teaching international security concepts to mid-level officers and civilian counterparts from all branches of the military and various federal agencies. 
    Ulat started his SkillBridge fellowship as an integration engineer in Johnson’s X-Lab, supporting avionics, power, and software integration for the Gateway lunar space station. Ulat transitioned directly from his fellowship into a similar full-time position at Johnson in May 2024.

    Ariel Vargas transitioned to NASA after serving for five years in the Army. His last role in the military was as a signal officer, which involved leading teams managing secure communications and network operations in dynamic and mission-critical environments in the Middle East and the United States.
    Vargas completed his SkillBridge fellowship in November 2023, supporting Johnson’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). During his fellowship, he led a center-wide wireless augmentation project that modernized Johnson’s connectivity.
    He became a full-time civil servant in May 2024 and currently serves as the business operations and partnerships lead within OCIO, supporting a digital transformation initiative. In this role, he leads efforts to streamline internal business operations, manage strategic partnerships, and drive cross-functional collaboration.
    “My time in the military taught me the value of service, leadership, and adaptability—qualities that I now apply daily in support of NASA’s mission,” Vargas said. “I’m proud to be part of the Johnson team and hope my story can inspire other service members considering the SkillBridge pathway.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Just 3 in 10 aviation executives believe their strategy can adequately address the emerging risk challenges of the next decade

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 130 senior aviation representatives took part in our new report, Understanding emerging risks in the aviation industry by Willis, a WTW business (NASDAQ:WTW). Of these, only one in two declared themselves confident that their business model and strategy are resilient to today’s emerging risks environment, and only 30% believe their strategy will be fit for purpose over the next decade.

    In addition, 80% of key decision makers and 90% of those involved in teams leading or implementing risk strategies were unable to identify their organization’s definition of emerging risk. Almost half of the respondents in the sector (49%) were unable to identify their company’s top five emerging risks.

    Other key findings include:

    • Climate transition: Climate change is viewed as a significant threat to the aviation industry, impacting operational resilience, financial performance and stakeholder trust. Fixed-asset aviation operators – such as airports, fuel suppliers and cargo handlers – are particularly exposed to the exogenous risks associated with climate change. Nearly one in three (29%) of all respondents mention climate change in their overall top five emerging risks, one in five (20%) put the climate transition as a top five source of emerging risks in the next two years and one in two (50%) chose the environmental category as one of their top five sources of emerging risks in the next 10 years.
    • Geopolitical and economic risks: Geopolitical and economic risks are closely tied and seen to have an outsized influence on opportunity and business plans. Concerns about financial shock, geopolitical instability, government business policy, trade sanctions and business financial risk affect all companies in the sector. Insurance gaps are also mentioned in this context, suggesting an unsated appetite for economic risk transfer products among aviation organizations. Geopolitical and economic outlook risks feature in the top 5 risks in all time horizons: risks of today, of the next two years and the next 10 years. They are also at the top in terms of interconnectivity, with the most volume of risk connections declared.
    • Cyber risks: As the hosts and owners of critical national infrastructure and systems, aviation companies are perennially in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. 11% of respondents see this as the industry’s most significant current risk (on par with supply chain risks) and it also features heavily over the five- and 10-year timescales. It is closely connected with AI, which is seen as an enabler of both hackers and internet security providers.
    • Artificial intelligence: AI is viewed as a risk in the immediate timescale, taking the top position for 36% of respondents, but drops out of the top five when looking at a two-year and ten-year horizon. One airport executive shared a dual concern around the exposure that comes from using AI and the risk of not using it and being left behind. For example, there is potential for the industry to deploy AI to gather insight on minor incidents that lead to attritional claims. These are estimated to represent half to two thirds of the value of aviation insurance claims in any given year, and there is a clear incentive for the insurance and risk management sector to work with the industry to develop tools or services that can reduce their number or severity.

    The unique nature of aviation as an industry puts it in an interesting position when it comes to technology as a whole and the development of AI specifically. Airports compete geographically and airlines on routes, but because many airports and airlines are seen as important parts of national infrastructure, there are often very strict rules around ownership. The industry’s structure has also made it relatively open to sharing appropriate data, particularly where safety is involved. This could potentially mean that any successful AI tools and services will spread relatively quickly through the industry over the next few years, without outsized benefits for any particular organization.

    John Rooley, CEO, Willis Aviation & Space, said: “The challenges we face today in the aviation industry, whether it’s the business implications of AI, cyberattacks, disruptions to the global supply chain or energy transition, demand a re-evaluation of how we perceive and manage emerging and interconnected risks. But our survey shows that aviation experts, traditionally superb at long-term planning that accommodates fleet renewals, infrastructure development and regulatory compliance, have been struggling to define the emerging risk landscape. The time has come to take a proactive stance and align planning with a forward-thinking approach that embraces adaptability and resilience.”

    About WTW

    At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

    Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you.

    Learn more at wtwco.com.

    Media contact

    Lauren David
    Lauren.david@wtwco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Materials for the Government meeting on July 17, 2025.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The following issues are planned to be considered at the meeting:

    1. On the allocation of budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of one-time financial assistance in the form of a subsidy from the federal budget to the budget of the Republic of Tatarstan

    The draft order is aimed at providing financial support for the implementation of the investment project “Complex for the production of large-tonnage LNG compressor units” in the single-industry town of Zelenodolsk.

    2. On the allocation of budgetary allocations to Rosaviatsia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the purpose of providing subsidies from the federal budget to Russian airports

    The draft order is aimed at partial reimbursement of expenses for ordinary activities and interest on credit agreements or loan agreements during the period of introduction of the temporary flight restriction regime to airports in the southern and central parts of Russia for December 2024 – June 2025.

    3. On the allocation of budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Transport of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation within the framework of the state program of the Russian Federation “Development of the transport system”

    The funds are needed to implement the project “Construction of the Bagaevsky hydroelectric complex on the Don River. Objects of the 2nd stage (main period).”

    4. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the purpose of providing another inter-budget transfer from the federal budget to the budget of the Orenburg Region

    The draft order is aimed at reimbursing the regional budget for the costs incurred in financial support for the implementation of social support measures for citizens whose residential premises were lost and/or damaged as a result of the emergency caused by the spring floods of 2024.

    5. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of a subsidy from the federal budget within the framework of the federal project “Assistance to the development of infrastructure of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation (municipalities)” to the budget of the Saratov region for the purpose of implementing the project “Bank protection of the Volgograd reservoir on the section from the first berth to the solarium “Zaton” city of Saratov (stages 2, 3)”

    The adoption of the draft order will ensure the creation of a full-fledged coastal protection belt and the use of the embankment as a center of public and cultural activity in Saratov.

    6. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation to the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia in 2025

    The draft order is aimed at providing the Federal Corporation for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Entrepreneurship joint-stock company with a subsidy from the federal budget for the implementation of projects aimed at developing special economic zones and single-industry municipalities of the Russian Federation (single-industry towns).

    Moscow, July 16, 2025

    The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Government meeting (2025, No. 24).

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    1. On the allocation of budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of one-time financial assistance in the form of a subsidy from the federal budget to the budget of the Republic of Tatarstan

    The draft order is aimed at providing financial support for the implementation of the investment project “Complex for the production of large-tonnage LNG compressor units” in the single-industry town of Zelenodolsk.

    2. On the allocation of budgetary allocations to Rosaviatsia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the purpose of providing subsidies from the federal budget to Russian airports

    The draft order is aimed at partial reimbursement of expenses for ordinary activities and interest on credit agreements or loan agreements during the period of introduction of the temporary flight restriction regime to airports in the southern and central parts of Russia for December 2024 – June 2025.

    3. On the allocation of budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Transport of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation within the framework of the state program of the Russian Federation “Development of the transport system”

    The funds are needed to implement the project “Construction of the Bagaevsky hydroelectric complex on the Don River. Objects of the 2nd stage (main period).”

    4. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the purpose of providing another inter-budget transfer from the federal budget to the budget of the Orenburg Region

    The draft order is aimed at reimbursing the regional budget for the costs incurred in financial support for the implementation of social support measures for citizens whose residential premises were lost and/or damaged as a result of the emergency caused by the spring floods of 2024.

    5. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of a subsidy from the federal budget within the framework of the federal project “Assistance to the development of infrastructure of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation (municipalities)” to the budget of the Saratov region for the purpose of implementing the project “Bank protection of the Volgograd reservoir on the section from the first berth to the solarium “Zaton” city of Saratov (stages 2, 3)”

    The adoption of the draft order will ensure the creation of a full-fledged coastal protection belt and the use of the embankment as a center of public and cultural activity in Saratov.

    6. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation to the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia in 2025

    The draft order is aimed at providing the Federal Corporation for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Entrepreneurship joint-stock company with a subsidy from the federal budget for the implementation of projects aimed at developing special economic zones and single-industry municipalities of the Russian Federation (single-industry towns).

    Moscow, July 16, 2025

    The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Low-altitude amendments take effect

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Two legislative amendments on low-altitude economy development will come into effect tomorrow.

    The two amendments – The Small Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Order 2025 and the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Amendment) Order 2025 – are aimed at facilitating the development of a low-altitude economy.

    The amendments to the Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) Order serve to extend the existing regulatory regime to cover SUA weighing over 25kg but not exceeding 150kg.

    Relevant guidance documents including the updated Safety Requirements Document and Advisory Circulars will be available online from tomorrow.

    Meanwhile, the amendments to the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 serve to facilitate the trials of various unconventional aircraft in Hong Kong.

    New articles are added to empower the Chief Executive to permit the trials of unconventional aircraft under specified conditions.

    Practical guidance in respect of the trials of unconventional aircraft will be published online tomorrow.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 12 countries agree to confront Israel collectively over Gaza after Bogotá summit

    ANALYSIS: By Mick Hall

    Collective measures to confront Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people have been agreed by 12 nations after an emergency summit of the Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia.

    A joint statement today announced the six measures, which it said were geared to holding Israel to account for its crimes in Palestine and would operate within the states’ domestic legal and legislative frameworks.

    Nearly two dozen other nations in attendance at the summit are now pondering whether to sign up to the measures before a September deadline set by the Hague Group.

    New Zealand and Australia stayed away from the summit.

    The measures include preventing the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel and dual-use items to Israel and preventing the transit, docking or servicing of vessels if there is a risk of vessels carrying such items. No vessel under the flag of the countries would be allowed to carry this equipment.

    The countries would also “commence an urgent review of all public contracts, in order to prevent public institutions and public funds, where applicable, from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory, to ensure that our nationals, and companies and entities under our jurisdiction, as well as our authorities, do not act in any way that would entail recognition or provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

    The countries will prosecute “the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with our obligation to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes”.

    They agreed to support universal jurisdiction mandates, “as and where applicable in our legal constitutional frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes in the Occupied Palestine Territory”.

    This will mean IDF soldiers and others accused of war crimes in Palestine would face arrest and could go through domestic judicial processes in these countries, or referrals to the ICC.

    The statement said the measures constituted a collective commitment to defend the foundational principles of international law.

    It also called on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to commission an immediate investigation of the health and nutritional needs of the population of Gaza, devise a plan to meet those needs on a continuing and sustained basis, and report on these matters before the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    Following repeated total blockades of Gaza since October 7, 2023, Gazans have been dying of starvation as they continue to be bombed and repeatedly displaced and their means of life destroyed.

    The official death toll stands at nearly 59,000, mostly women and children, although some estimates put that number at over 200,000.

    The joint statement recognised Israel as a threat to regional peace and the system of international law and called on all United Nations member states to enforce their obligations under the UN charter.

    It condemned “unilateral attacks and threats against United Nations mandate holders, as well as key institutions of the human rights architecture and international justice” and committed to build “on the legacy of global solidarity movements that have dismantled apartheid and other oppressive systems, setting a model for future co-ordinated responses to international law violations”.

    Countries face wrath of US
     Ministers, high-ranking officials and envoys from 30 nations attended the two-day event, from July 15-16, called to come up with the measures. It is now hoped some of those attendees will sign up to the statement by September.

    For countries like Ireland, which sent a delegation, signing up would have profound implications. The Irish government has been heavily criticised by its own citizens for continuing to allow Shannon Airport as a transit point for military equipment from the United States to be sent to Israel.

    It would also face the prospect of severe reprisals by the US, as would others thinking of adding their names to the collective statement. The US is now expected to consult with nations that attended and warn them of the consequences of signing up.

    The summit had been billed by the UN Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, as “the most significant political development of the last 20 months”.

    Albanese had told attendees that “for too long, international law has been treated as optional — applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful”.

    “This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,” she said.

    Co-chaired by Colombia and South Africa, the Hague group was established by nine nations in late January at The Hague in the Netherlands to hold Israel to account for its crimes and push for Palestinian self-determination.

    Colombia last year ended diplomatic relations with Israel, while South Africa in late December 2023 filed an application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide, which was joined by nearly two dozen countries.

    The ICJ has determined a plausible genocide is taking place and issued orders for Israel to protect Palestinians and take measures to stop genocide taking place, a call ignored by the Zionist state.

    Representatives from the countries arrived in Bogota this week in defiance of the United States, which last week sanctioned Albanese for attempts to have US and Israeli political officials and business leaders prosecuted by the ICC over Gaza.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it an illegitimate “campaign of political and economic warfare”.

    It followed the sanctioning of four ICC judges after arrest warrants were issued in November last year for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Ahead of the Bogota meeting, the US State Department accused The Hague Group of multilateral attempts to “weaponise international law as a tool to advance radical anti-Western agendas” and warned the US would “aggressively defend” its interests.

    Signs of division in the West
     Most of those attending came from nations in the Global South, but not all.

    Founding Hague Group members Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa attended the Summit. Joining them were Algeria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iraq, Republic of Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

    However, in a sign of increasing division in the West, NATO members Spain, Portugal, Norway, Slovenia and Turkey also attended.

    Inside the summit, former US State Department official Annelle Sheline, who resigned in March over Gaza, defended the right of those attending “to uphold their obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”.

    “This is not the weaponisation of international law. This is the application of international law,” she told delegates.

    The US and Israel deny accusations that genocide is taking place in Gaza, while Western media have collectively refused to adjudicate the claims or frame stories around Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the strip, despite ample evidence by the UN and genocide experts.

    Since 7 October 2023, US allies have offered diplomatic cover for Israel by repeating it had “a right to defend itself” and was engaged in a legitimate defensive “war against Hamas”.

    Israel now plans to corral starving Gazans into a concentration camp in the south of the strip, with many analysts expecting the IDF to exterminate anyone found outside its boundaries, while preparing to push those inside across the border into Egypt.

    Asia Pacific and EU allies shun Bogota summit
     Addressing attendees at the summit yesterday, Albanese criticised the EU for its neo-colonialism and support for Israel, criticisms that can be extended to US allies in the Asia Pacific region.

    Independent journalist Abby Martin reported Albanese as saying: “Europe and its institutions are guided more by colonial mindset than principle, acting as vessels to US Empire even as it drags us from war to war, misery to misery.

    “The Hague Group is a new moral centre in world politics. Millions are hoping for leadership that can birth a new global order, rooted in justice, humanity and collective liberation. It’s not just about Palestine. This is about all of us.”

    The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was asked why Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not take up an invite to attend the Hague Group meeting. In a statement to Mick Hall in Context, a spokesperson said she had been unable to attend, but did not explain why.

    She said Australia was a “resolute defender of international law” and added: “Australia has consistently been part of international calls that all parties must abide by international humanitarian law. Not enough has been done to protect civilians and aid workers.

    “We have called on Israel to respond substantively to the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    “We have also called on Israel to comply with the binding orders of the ICJ, including to enable the unhindered provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale.”

    When asked why New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters had failed to take up the invitation or send any of his officials, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokesperson simply refused to comment.

    She said MFAT media advisors would only engage with “recognised news media outlets”.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, as well as a number of his ministers, have been referred to the ICC by domestic legal teams, accused of complicity in the genocide.

    Evidence against Albanese was accepted into the ICC’s wider investigation of crimes in Gaza in October last year, while Luxon’s referral earlier this month is being assessed by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

    Delegates told humanity at stake
     Delegates heard several impassioned addresses from speakers on what was at stake during the two-day event in Bogota.

    Palestinian-American trauma surgeon, Dr Thaer Ahmad, told the gathering that Palestinians seeking food were being met with bullets, describing aid distribution facilities set up by the US contractor-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as “slaughterhouses”. More than 800 starving Gazans have been killed at the GHF aid points so far.

    “People know they could die but cannot sit idly by and watch their families starve,” he said.

    “The bullets fired by GHF mercenaries are just one part of the weaponisation of aid, where Palestinians are ghettoised into areas where somebody in military fatigues decides if you are worthy of food or not.”

    Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour had urged the summit attendees to take decisive action to not only save the Palestinian people, but redeem humanity.

    “Instead of outrage at the crimes we know are taking place, we find those who defend, normalise, and even celebrate them,” he said.

    “The core values we believed humanity agreed were universal are shattered, blown to pieces like the tens of thousands of starved, murdered and injured civilians in Palestine.

    “The mind and heart cannot fathom or process the immense pain and horror that has taken hold of the lives of an entire people. We must not fail — not just for Palestine’s sake — but for humanity’s sake.”

    At the beginning of the summit, Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir told summit delegates the Palestinian genocide threatened the entire international system.

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote in The Guardian last week: “We can either stand firm in defence of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics.”

    Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers, as well as Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, met in Brussels at the same time as the Bogota summit, to discuss Middle East co-operation, but also possible options for action against Israel.

    At the EU–Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas put forward potential actions after Israel was found to have breached the EU economic cooperation deal with the bloc on human rights grounds. As expected, no sanctions, restricted trade or suspension of the co-operation deal were agreed.

    The EU has been one of Israel’s most strident backers in its campaign against Gaza, with EU members Germany and France in particular supplying weapons, as well as political support.

    The UK government has continued to supply arms and operate spy planes over Gaza over the past 21 months, launched from bases in Cyprus, while its military has issued D-Notices to censor media reports that its special forces have been operating inside the occupied territories.

    Mick Hall is an independent Irish-New Zealand journalist, formerly of RNZ and AAP, based in New Zealand since 2009. He writes primarily on politics, corporate power and international affairs. This article is republished from his substack Mick Hall in Context with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 12 countries agree to confront Israel collectively over Gaza after Bogotá summit

    ANALYSIS: By Mick Hall

    Collective measures to confront Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people have been agreed by 12 nations after an emergency summit of the Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia.

    A joint statement today announced the six measures, which it said were geared to holding Israel to account for its crimes in Palestine and would operate within the states’ domestic legal and legislative frameworks.

    Nearly two dozen other nations in attendance at the summit are now pondering whether to sign up to the measures before a September deadline set by the Hague Group.

    New Zealand and Australia stayed away from the summit.

    The measures include preventing the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel and dual-use items to Israel and preventing the transit, docking or servicing of vessels if there is a risk of vessels carrying such items. No vessel under the flag of the countries would be allowed to carry this equipment.

    The countries would also “commence an urgent review of all public contracts, in order to prevent public institutions and public funds, where applicable, from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory, to ensure that our nationals, and companies and entities under our jurisdiction, as well as our authorities, do not act in any way that would entail recognition or provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

    The countries will prosecute “the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with our obligation to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes”.

    They agreed to support universal jurisdiction mandates, “as and where applicable in our legal constitutional frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes in the Occupied Palestine Territory”.

    This will mean IDF soldiers and others accused of war crimes in Palestine would face arrest and could go through domestic judicial processes in these countries, or referrals to the ICC.

    The statement said the measures constituted a collective commitment to defend the foundational principles of international law.

    It also called on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to commission an immediate investigation of the health and nutritional needs of the population of Gaza, devise a plan to meet those needs on a continuing and sustained basis, and report on these matters before the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    Following repeated total blockades of Gaza since October 7, 2023, Gazans have been dying of starvation as they continue to be bombed and repeatedly displaced and their means of life destroyed.

    The official death toll stands at nearly 59,000, mostly women and children, although some estimates put that number at over 200,000.

    The joint statement recognised Israel as a threat to regional peace and the system of international law and called on all United Nations member states to enforce their obligations under the UN charter.

    It condemned “unilateral attacks and threats against United Nations mandate holders, as well as key institutions of the human rights architecture and international justice” and committed to build “on the legacy of global solidarity movements that have dismantled apartheid and other oppressive systems, setting a model for future co-ordinated responses to international law violations”.

    Countries face wrath of US
     Ministers, high-ranking officials and envoys from 30 nations attended the two-day event, from July 15-16, called to come up with the measures. It is now hoped some of those attendees will sign up to the statement by September.

    For countries like Ireland, which sent a delegation, signing up would have profound implications. The Irish government has been heavily criticised by its own citizens for continuing to allow Shannon Airport as a transit point for military equipment from the United States to be sent to Israel.

    It would also face the prospect of severe reprisals by the US, as would others thinking of adding their names to the collective statement. The US is now expected to consult with nations that attended and warn them of the consequences of signing up.

    The summit had been billed by the UN Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, as “the most significant political development of the last 20 months”.

    Albanese had told attendees that “for too long, international law has been treated as optional — applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful”.

    “This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,” she said.

    Co-chaired by Colombia and South Africa, the Hague group was established by nine nations in late January at The Hague in the Netherlands to hold Israel to account for its crimes and push for Palestinian self-determination.

    Colombia last year ended diplomatic relations with Israel, while South Africa in late December 2023 filed an application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide, which was joined by nearly two dozen countries.

    The ICJ has determined a plausible genocide is taking place and issued orders for Israel to protect Palestinians and take measures to stop genocide taking place, a call ignored by the Zionist state.

    Representatives from the countries arrived in Bogota this week in defiance of the United States, which last week sanctioned Albanese for attempts to have US and Israeli political officials and business leaders prosecuted by the ICC over Gaza.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it an illegitimate “campaign of political and economic warfare”.

    It followed the sanctioning of four ICC judges after arrest warrants were issued in November last year for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Ahead of the Bogota meeting, the US State Department accused The Hague Group of multilateral attempts to “weaponise international law as a tool to advance radical anti-Western agendas” and warned the US would “aggressively defend” its interests.

    Signs of division in the West
     Most of those attending came from nations in the Global South, but not all.

    Founding Hague Group members Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa attended the Summit. Joining them were Algeria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iraq, Republic of Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

    However, in a sign of increasing division in the West, NATO members Spain, Portugal, Norway, Slovenia and Turkey also attended.

    Inside the summit, former US State Department official Annelle Sheline, who resigned in March over Gaza, defended the right of those attending “to uphold their obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”.

    “This is not the weaponisation of international law. This is the application of international law,” she told delegates.

    The US and Israel deny accusations that genocide is taking place in Gaza, while Western media have collectively refused to adjudicate the claims or frame stories around Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the strip, despite ample evidence by the UN and genocide experts.

    Since 7 October 2023, US allies have offered diplomatic cover for Israel by repeating it had “a right to defend itself” and was engaged in a legitimate defensive “war against Hamas”.

    Israel now plans to corral starving Gazans into a concentration camp in the south of the strip, with many analysts expecting the IDF to exterminate anyone found outside its boundaries, while preparing to push those inside across the border into Egypt.

    Asia Pacific and EU allies shun Bogota summit
     Addressing attendees at the summit yesterday, Albanese criticised the EU for its neo-colonialism and support for Israel, criticisms that can be extended to US allies in the Asia Pacific region.

    Independent journalist Abby Martin reported Albanese as saying: “Europe and its institutions are guided more by colonial mindset than principle, acting as vessels to US Empire even as it drags us from war to war, misery to misery.

    “The Hague Group is a new moral centre in world politics. Millions are hoping for leadership that can birth a new global order, rooted in justice, humanity and collective liberation. It’s not just about Palestine. This is about all of us.”

    The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was asked why Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not take up an invite to attend the Hague Group meeting. In a statement to Mick Hall in Context, a spokesperson said she had been unable to attend, but did not explain why.

    She said Australia was a “resolute defender of international law” and added: “Australia has consistently been part of international calls that all parties must abide by international humanitarian law. Not enough has been done to protect civilians and aid workers.

    “We have called on Israel to respond substantively to the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    “We have also called on Israel to comply with the binding orders of the ICJ, including to enable the unhindered provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale.”

    When asked why New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters had failed to take up the invitation or send any of his officials, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokesperson simply refused to comment.

    She said MFAT media advisors would only engage with “recognised news media outlets”.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, as well as a number of his ministers, have been referred to the ICC by domestic legal teams, accused of complicity in the genocide.

    Evidence against Albanese was accepted into the ICC’s wider investigation of crimes in Gaza in October last year, while Luxon’s referral earlier this month is being assessed by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

    Delegates told humanity at stake
     Delegates heard several impassioned addresses from speakers on what was at stake during the two-day event in Bogota.

    Palestinian-American trauma surgeon, Dr Thaer Ahmad, told the gathering that Palestinians seeking food were being met with bullets, describing aid distribution facilities set up by the US contractor-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as “slaughterhouses”. More than 800 starving Gazans have been killed at the GHF aid points so far.

    “People know they could die but cannot sit idly by and watch their families starve,” he said.

    “The bullets fired by GHF mercenaries are just one part of the weaponisation of aid, where Palestinians are ghettoised into areas where somebody in military fatigues decides if you are worthy of food or not.”

    Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour had urged the summit attendees to take decisive action to not only save the Palestinian people, but redeem humanity.

    “Instead of outrage at the crimes we know are taking place, we find those who defend, normalise, and even celebrate them,” he said.

    “The core values we believed humanity agreed were universal are shattered, blown to pieces like the tens of thousands of starved, murdered and injured civilians in Palestine.

    “The mind and heart cannot fathom or process the immense pain and horror that has taken hold of the lives of an entire people. We must not fail — not just for Palestine’s sake — but for humanity’s sake.”

    At the beginning of the summit, Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir told summit delegates the Palestinian genocide threatened the entire international system.

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote in The Guardian last week: “We can either stand firm in defence of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics.”

    Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers, as well as Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, met in Brussels at the same time as the Bogota summit, to discuss Middle East co-operation, but also possible options for action against Israel.

    At the EU–Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas put forward potential actions after Israel was found to have breached the EU economic cooperation deal with the bloc on human rights grounds. As expected, no sanctions, restricted trade or suspension of the co-operation deal were agreed.

    The EU has been one of Israel’s most strident backers in its campaign against Gaza, with EU members Germany and France in particular supplying weapons, as well as political support.

    The UK government has continued to supply arms and operate spy planes over Gaza over the past 21 months, launched from bases in Cyprus, while its military has issued D-Notices to censor media reports that its special forces have been operating inside the occupied territories.

    Mick Hall is an independent Irish-New Zealand journalist, formerly of RNZ and AAP, based in New Zealand since 2009. He writes primarily on politics, corporate power and international affairs. This article is republished from his substack Mick Hall in Context with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: AAIB Report: Grob G109B, G-CHYB

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    AAIB Report: Grob G109B, G-CHYB

    Grob G109B (G-CHYB), aircraft pitched down from final approach and struck trees before coming to rest on the A419 near Aston Down Airfield, Gloucestershire, 27 August 2024

    Grob 109B

    The aircraft was on the late stage of final approach to Aston Down Airfield when it pitched down rapidly. The aircraft struck trees and then came to rest on the A419. Both those on board were injured and taken to hospital by the emergency services. The aircraft was severely damaged and the A419 was closed for several hours. The passenger, an experienced glider pilot, was flying the approach. The passenger’s gliding experience meant that they would normally fly the approach with their right hand on the control column and their left hand controlling the rate of descent using the airbrake handle. Flying the Grob 109 from the right seat, this control arrangement was reversed. When attempting to reduce the rate of descent, the passenger inadvertently pushed forward on the control column which caused a rapid increase in the rate of descent which could not be corrected before the aircraft struck the ground.

    Read the report

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civil Society Covenant: Accessible aviation with AATFG

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Case study

    Civil Society Covenant: Accessible aviation with AATFG

    Co-designing accessible aviation through partnership.

    Established in November 2024 and chaired by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group (AATFG) united industry, the regulator, and consumer advocates. This Department for Transport-facilitated group aimed to co-design practical improvements for disabled and less mobile air travellers.

    The initiative emphasises inclusive collaboration, actively engaging civil society, disability charities, and individuals with lived experience through roundtables, direct feedback, and deep dives. This approach directly contributes to Labour’s manifesto commitment to championing the rights of disabled people and to the principle of working with them, ensuring their views and voices are at the heart of all policy and action. The emphasis was on practical changes and ongoing dialogue with disabled passengers to ensure meaningful, sustainable improvements.

    This inclusive approach has positively influenced government-civil society relations. Actively involving disability advocacy groups and individuals, has enabled a collaborative and inclusive process. This aims to build trust and mutual understanding, where disabled citizens’ concerns are heard.

    Notable achievements included establishing direct engagement with disabled individuals and charities, fostering a collaborative policy approach, and setting a precedent for meaningfully including marginalised groups in policies that directly affect them.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Geeking out, China’s high-tech factory floors adored as ‘industrial Disneyland’

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Robots work at Xiaomi’s automobile factory in Beijing, capital of China, June 16, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Getting a pass into Xiaomi’s car plant in suburban Beijing feels like snagging front-row tickets to the world’s hottest concert.

    “Application accepted!” Wang Shuang crowed, posting a screenshot to social media. “The last time I felt this giddy was when I landed a Taylor Swift ticket.”

    Welcome to China’s newest travel craze: high-tech factories have joined ancient palaces and world-class museums as the nation’s must-see destinations.

    China has dominated as the world’s manufacturing powerhouse for fifteen straight years. Yet, in just the past two years, the robust rise of smart manufacturing has revolutionized the country’s once dreary, clang-and-hiss assembly lines into a cultural phenomenon or “industrial Disneyland.”

    Chinese manufacturers aren’t pioneering this factory fascination. France’s Citroen ignited the trend in the 1950s. Boeing and Toyota plants remain the top U.S. and Japan draws.

    As the country’s industrial prowess ascends from the lower rungs of the global supply chain to a technology-driven frontier, a profound shift has taken hold. An increasing number of Chinese people now celebrate mechanical ingenuity with reverence, as their pride in homegrown sectors flourishes.

    The registration page of Xiaomi, a headline-grabbing newcomer to the electric vehicle (EV) sector last year, was still live ticking: beside the tiny line “20 spots only,” the counter read “4,060 already applied” as a scramble ensued to witness robotic arms assembling electric cars.

    Wang snagged that coveted ticket only after camping on the official website for days, finger tap-dancing like a twitchy trigger, until the confirmation flashed alive.

    Tech odyssey 

    Under the scorching sun, the lucky visitor Wang stepped into the factory complex as scheduled. The two-hour journey felt like a tech-filled odyssey. She rode a shuttle vehicle that zipped through the six major workshops: stamping, large die casting, body welding, painting, battery assembly and final assembly.

    In her experience, factories were enclosed, dusty, and filled with workers in safety helmets. This time, she saw robotic arms working with micron-level precision on the factory floor and AI-driven robots moving freely along planned routes to deliver battery cell components to their destinations.

    “It takes just 76 seconds to churn out a new car,” Wang exclaimed in amazement. “Quicker than whipping up a latte.”

    NIO, another domestic EV manufacturer, has opened its “Second Advanced Manufacturing Base” to the public since October 2023. Visitors can also tour the facility, which is filled with robotic arms, from an elevated corridor. In 2024, over 130,000 people visited the site, including about 900 from overseas.

    The moves to open production lines to the public came as China’s new energy vehicles have topped the global production and sales charts for nine consecutive years. Along with lithium batteries and photovoltaic products, they form China’s “new export trio,” showcasing the technological upgrades of “Made in China.”

    Freya Zhang, a research analyst at the investment consulting firm Tech Buzz China, told the journal Wired that China’s EV factory tour “offers a chance to not only see the production line up close, but also experience the human side of the brand.”

    Beyond EVs, emerging tech hubs are becoming pilgrimage sites. In Hangzhou, an innovative magnet in east China, robotics pioneers like Unitree Robotics draw curated tour groups.

    At the AG600 final-assembly plant in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai — host city of China’s premier airshow — a steady stream of visitors was filing through the country’s only extensive special-mission aircraft production line that is open to the public.

    The AG600 line attracts roughly 40,000 visitors a year, with open-day slots almost booked out to a crowd dominated by the young. The domestically developed amphibious aircraft, which has already entered mass production, can swiftly shuttle between water sources and fire sites, making it a powerful tool for forest firefighting.

    The destination of industry tourism is also emerging from unexpected origins: waste treatment plants. Not far from Zhuhai, Shenzhen, an economic hub of China, now welcomes visitors to four such “eco-parks.”

    One social platform user from Xiaohongshu posted about their visit: The true spectacle lies in the industrial-scale choreography of the facility’s central sorting hall, where a colossal hydraulic claw, operating with uncanny precision, plunges into mountains of refuse and sorts recyclables. “It provides a sense of satisfaction akin to that of playing a claw crane game.”

    New growth 

    China hosts over 40 percent of the world’s “lighthouse factories,” and more assembly lines have been digitally transformed, creating an ideal foundation for transforming humans on factory floors into a cultural canvas.

    More Chinese cities have made industrial tourism their new engines for growth. In February, Beijing vowed to create five national industrial-tourism demonstration bases by 2027 and become a leading destination by 2029.

    The city’s tourism blueprint includes opening high-level autonomous driving scenarios, rocket institutes, low-altitude economy, and green energy routes, while inviting research institutes to grant public access to select labs and assembly halls.

    Local governments are also looking to outfit industrial tourism itself with next-gen stagecraft: Shanghai is set to weave large language models, the metaverse and blockchain into richer cultural narratives, while Hunan province in central China will deploy AR, VR, AI, 5G, 3D cinema, and holography to build fully immersive worlds.

    “Industrial tourism is a nexus where secondary and tertiary industries converge,” said Chen Wei, an expert from Tsinghua University. “It can fuel consumption, expand domestic demand, and promote industrial science education.”

    Among the facilities listed as national industrial tourism demonstration bases are Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, the aerospace supercomputing center in the island province of Hainan, and the Zhuzhou electric locomotive production line in Hunan, which is a cradle of China’s high-speed trains, according to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

    “Fast-tracking industrial tourism is a strategic move in building a modern industrial system, which serves to unlock growth potential for regional economic vitality,” said Chen. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang Opens 28th Civil Airport

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    URUMQI, July 17 (Xinhua) — The 28th civil airport has opened in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, cementing Xinjiang’s status as the provincial-level region with the most airports in the country.

    The opening of the Barkul Dahe Airport, the second high-altitude airport in Xinjiang, took place on July 15. The airport, located in Barkul Kazakh Autonomous County (Hami City), cost 692.84 million yuan (about 97 million US dollars) to build and has a design capacity of 300,000 passengers and 700 tons of cargo per year.

    Currently, Barkul Dahe Airport serves two flights, one from Chengdu to Barkul with a stop in Zhengzhou and another from Chongqing to Barkul. There are also plans to launch a flight to Beijing.

    According to Xinjiang Airport Group, the new airport will promote the development of the local economy and industries with local characteristics, play a role in implementing the strategy of “Rising Xinjiang through Tourism” and achieving rural development in Barkul and surrounding areas. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s booming low-altitude economy reshaping industries, daily life

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    A drone photo taken on July 2, 2025 shows an electric vertical take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft performing flight demonstration at Luogang Park in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

    Amid the pines of a scenic area in southwest China’s Chongqing, two drones rose with a low hum, weaving through branches to hover 10 meters above the treetops as a fine mist of pesticide drifted down to target hidden pine caterpillars below.

    “This canopy-level spraying hits where pests hide, boosting efficiency 30-fold over manual work and eliminating blind spots,” said Ni Liufa, deputy director of Liangping District’s forest resources monitoring and pest control station.

    This scene exemplifies the quiet revolution of China’s booming low-altitude economy, evolving from novelty to essential practical use.

    Anchored by its inclusion in China’s central government work reports for 2024 and 2025, the sector is soaring. The Civil Aviation Administration of China projects the market size to reach 1.5 trillion yuan (about 209.8 billion U.S. dollars) by 2025, with potential growth up to 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.

    The 1st West China Low-altitude Economy Expo in Liangping, which concluded Sunday, showcased the rapid diversification. Exhibits ranged from 5-tonne cargo drones and 4-passenger eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft to advanced communication and air traffic management systems. The applications spanned logistics, passenger transport, tourism, public safety, emergency response, surveying, and agriculture.

    “Low-altitude economy is evolving from traditional services to integrated formats,” said Liu Daxiang, professor at Beihang University. “Deep development in agriculture, logistics, tourism, and emergency response is reshaping entire value chains.”

    Growth is expanding from China’s eastern hubs to the central and western regions, reaching beyond cities into the countryside.

    Chongqing, leveraging its unique landscape, is actively building an ecosystem integrating low-altitude operations with urban life and industry. The city recorded 190,000 flight hours in the first half of 2024, a surge of 109.2 percent year on year, with flight operations jumping 67.3 percent to over 1.15 million.

    Drones are transforming logistics, especially in less accessible areas. “Our ‘air-to-air intermodal transport’ connects drones with China Postal Airlines cargo flights,” said Sun Liye, vice president of United Aircraft. “Fresh plums from Chongqing’s Wushan County can now reach supermarkets in eastern coastal regions such as Nanjing or Shanghai the same afternoon, 17 times faster than before.”

    In south China’s Shenzhen, 483 low-altitude takeoff and landing points and a pioneering city-wide safety network have been established. In Jinzhai County, east China’s Anhui province, drones are used to overcome the mountainous “last mile,” delivering more than 1,000 tonnes of produce each year. In Altay Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, drones are boosting the efficiency of grassland ecological monitoring.

    “Low-altitude economy isn’t some distant industry; it’s right here,” said Zhou Yuyun, a Chongqing resident exhilarated by a powered paragliding experience. “Seeing the world from above instead of the ground is breathtaking.”

    Experts at the expo concurred that China’s low-altitude economy is experiencing an unprecedented boom, driven by rapid advancements in aircraft manufacturing, flight services and diverse application scenarios, alongside a strengthening industrial chain and accelerating innovation.

    “With continuous policy refinement and technological breakthroughs, China’s low-altitude economy will continue to expand,” said Wang Huizheng, deputy head of the low-altitude economy branch of the China Information Industry Association.

    “This vast ‘blue sky’ market holds immense potential, and is poised to inject powerful new momentum into economic and social development,” Wang added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xinjiang opens new civil airport

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Passengers board flight CZ5091 of China Southern Airlines, which is bound for Yerevan of Armenia, at Urumqi Diwopu International Airport in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 3, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The Barkol Dahe Airport officially began operations on Tuesday, bringing the total number of civil airports in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to 28, the highest among all provincial-level regions in China.

    As the second high-altitude airport in Xinjiang, Barkol Dahe Airport is located in the Kazak Autonomous County of Barkol, Hami City. With a total investment of 692.84 million yuan (96.87 million U.S. dollars), the airport has an annual capacity to handle 300,000 passengers and 700 tonnes of cargo.

    Currently, two air routes have been launched at Barkol Dahe Airport — one from Chengdu to Barkol, with a stopover in Zhengzhou, and the other from Chongqing to Barkol. Future plans include an air route connecting Beijing.

    According to Xinjiang Airport Group, the new airport will play a significant role in promoting regional economic development, supporting local specialty industries, boosting tourism, and advancing rural revitalization efforts in Barkol and its surrounding areas.

    As the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, Xinjiang has been working hard to accelerate airport construction. The number of airports, both operational and under-construction, is expected to reach 33 in Xinjiang by the end of 2025.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy: Trump is Surrendering American Soft Power to Our Adversaries and Destroying Senate Norms in the Process

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to speak out against President Trump’s unprecedented partisan rescissions package, which would codify devastating cuts to foreign aid and counter-propaganda efforts, surrendering American global power to China and our adversaries. Murphy also argued that Republicans’ bad faith exploitation of Senate rules imperils the bipartisan budget process, eroding longstanding Congressional norms and making it likely that Democrats will do the same when in power. 
    Murphy highlighted that Trump and Senate Republicans’ actions are unprecedented: “Never before has either party done what Republicans are doing today – pass a partisan rescissions bill, double crossing the minority party and cancelling spending that just months before, both parties had shook hands on…That’s a double cross. That’s immoral. Suckering your partner into a deal, in which you each get something, and then using the back door to cancel the part of the deal you don’t like. That’s immoral. That’s bad faith. And that’s why no party has done this in 40 years.”
    Laying out the stakes for longstanding Senate norms and the bipartisan budget process, Murphy continued: “It will become hard, maybe even impossible, to write a bipartisan budget ever again, because the minority party knows they can get double crossed. And believe me, if you do this now, Democrats will do it to you when we are back in charge.”
    Explaining why American soft power matters, Murphy said: “You need a lot more than just planes and tanks and ships to protect your interests. You need a powerful military, but adults – in particular, adults who have any experience in national security – know that the octopus of global power has a lot of arms. Military might. But also information might. Economic might. Diplomatic might. Energy might. Humanitarian might. This revisions bill cancels billions of dollars in investments in non-military foreign policy tools. And it is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to destroy almost every tool that protects American interests other than our military…And this military myopia, it makes me remember my 8-year-old self, because it is so childish, so immature, so divorced from reality. Donald Trump’s national security strategy, fund the military and destroy every other way that we confront Russia, China, Iran, non-state actors, it could have been constructed by an 8-year-old. It’s that unsophisticated. And it really amounts to surrender.
    Noting how China is fast expanding their global power to capitalize on Trump’s surrender of American leadership, Murphy said: “China is now the preferred economic development partner for many nations. China is now the dominant force in standard-setting boards for global commerce. This is a choice the Trump administration is making, to make China – and to a certain extent Russia, in certain forms – the dominant power when it comes to economic statecraft, information statecraft, energy statecraft.” 
    Murphy continued: “Trump terminated tens of millions in projects to help upgrade Africa’s power grid. China’s not dumb. They know Africa’s economy is going to boom in the next fifty years. They want Chinese companies, not American companies to have relationships there. They know that many of the critical minerals that are going to be critical to AI and the future of defense come from Africa. They want better relations in Africa to corner those markets. So, what did they do? Trump pulled back $80 million. China stepped in and announced $50 billion in financing for economic development and infrastructure in Africa. Now, a lot of that is bluster and some of the financing is predatory. But it’s something. At a moment when America is just withdrawing from Africa.” 
    Murphy concluded: “Trump’s national security strategy—fund the military and destroy every other way that we confront Russia and China and non-state actors—could have been constructed by an 8-year-old. It’s that unsophisticated… It’s all surrender. China is throwing a blowout party as we disappear our non-military power from the world.”
    A full transcript of his remarks is available below.
    MURPHY: “Thank you, Mr. President.
    “Mr. President, eight times since 1974, when Congress created the rescissions process, one party has controlled the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Eight times. It’s actually four times Democratic control and four times Republican control. Eight times, one party had total control over the elements of the federal government necessary to pass legislation. And never before has either party done what Republicans are doing today: pass a partisan rescissions bill, double-crossing the minority party and canceling spending that just months before both parties shook hands on. 
    “Why? Why has this never happened before? Well, because this is just an old-fashioned double-cross. It’s a con job. Republicans and Democrats agreed on spending levels. First, in a bipartisan appropriations bill passed in March of 2023, and then again, in multiple bipartisan continuing resolutions. 
    “When a party controls the White House and both houses of Congress, it always has the power to use the rescissions process to pull a fast one. To agree with the minority party on a budget – because the rules say you need 60 votes to pass a budget – to get majority party priorities funded in exchange for funding minority party priorities, and then to use the rescissions process to just double-cross the minority, by using that process – which only requires 50 votes – to just then cancel the minority party’s priorities. 
    “That’s immoral. It’s unethical. Suckering your partner into a deal, in which you get something and they get something, and then using the back door to cancel the part of the deal that you don’t like. That’s bad faith. It’s why no party has it since 1972. The power has always existed: eight different times, either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party could have cut a bipartisan spending deal and then then used the rescissions power to just cancel the parts of the deal they don’t like. But it’s never happened. Because it’s bad faith, because it destroys the ability of the Senate to function in a bipartisan way. 
    “It’s kind of like if you traded baseball cards as a kid and you made a trade with your best friend. And then in the middle of the night, you snuck into his house and you took your cards back. So that you had his cards, and now you had your cards as well. Nobody would think that’s right, but that’s exactly what’s happening here.
    “It will become hard, maybe even impossible – Senator Tillis laid this out very well – to write a bipartisan budget ever again, because the minority party now knows that they can get double-crossed. And believe me, if Republicans do this now, Democrats are going to do it when they are in charge. This will become the norm. Sit down, do a bipartisan deal, wink wink, and then a couple months later, just cancel the agreement through a partisan rescissions process. 
    “And of course, this is now the third time in seven short months that the new Republican majority has made substantial, meaningful changes to Senate rules and norms.
    “Senate Republicans created a brand-new rule that massively expands their ability to invalidate actions of the previous Democratic administration.
    “Just a couple weeks ago, Republicans walked away from decades of precedent on how Senate bills are scored,  and they used new, magic math to create a score that hid the actual cost of their budget bill.
    “And now, this double cross.
    “But, Mr. President, this isn’t just about breaking the Senate. That’s actually probably the least serious consequence of what is happening here.
    “The most serious consequence is what is happening to American power around the world as Donald Trump and Republicans, in part through this rescissions bill, destroy every single non-military tool that we use around the world to protect our interests.
    “When I was eight or nine years old, I collected G.I. Joe figures, and one Christmas I remember being so excited because Santa Claus brought me the huge G.I. Joe aircraft carrier. It was awesome. I was obsessed with the military like a lot of boys that age. The planes, the tanks, the ships.
    “That’s what I thought American power was – the U.S. military, period, stop. 
    “And of course, that’s an eight-year-old’s view of the world. The world, as it turns out, is a lot more complicated. You need a lot more than just planes and tanks and ships to protect your interests. You need a powerful military, but adults – in particular, adults who have any experience in national security – know that the octopus of global power has a lot of arms. Military might. But also information might. Economic might. Diplomatic might. Energy might. Humanitarian might.
    “This revisions bill cancels billions of dollars in investments in non-military foreign policy tools. And it is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to destroy almost every tool that protects American interests other than our military. Over the last 10 years, the defense budget has grown from about $502 billion to $825 billion. That’s an extraordinary ten-year increase of about $323 billion. Over that same period of time, the State Department budget has grown from $54 billion to $56 billion. – a $2 billion increase. Now if you layer in emergency funds, that increase is more like $30 billion. But you’re still talking about an increase for the military over the past ten years that is ten times the size of the increase for nonmilitary tools.
    “And this military myopia, it makes me remember my 8-year-old self, because it is so childish, so immature, so divorced from reality. Donald Trump’s national security strategy, fund the military and destroy every other way that we confront Russia, China, Iran, non-state actors, it could have been constructed by an 8-year-old. It’s that unsophisticated.
    “And it really amounts to surrender. 
    “Because as we stop projecting nonmilitary power around the world, China and Russia, but especially China, they just celebrate and step into the void. 
    “Secretary Rubio announced on March 10 that 83% of USAID programs will be terminated. 
    “Meanwhile, China just announced an 8.4% increase in its own diplomatic budget for 2025, committing 500 million additional dollars to the World Health Organization over the next five years – an organization that the United States no longer belongs to. As a result of our cuts standing next to China’s investments in diplomatic power, China will surpass the United States – this year for the first time – as the largest bilateral assistance partner for 40 countries. China is the power at the World Health organization. They call the shots about the standards of global health and pandemic relief. 
    “China is now the preferred economic development partner for many nations. China is now the dominant force in standard-setting boards for global commerce. This is a choice the Trump administration is making, to make China – and to a certain extent Russia, in certain forms – the dominant power when it comes to economic statecraft, information statecraft, energy statecraft. 
    “Let me give you a specific example. Today, information is power. If you control information flows, man, you control politics, you control economics, you control culture. 
    “China spends about $7 billion a year to promote their communist narrative to undermine U.S. leadership around the world and foster a China-friendly media environment globally. Russia, it’s really hard to know how much Russia spends because they’re not publicly reporting much of it. But they certainly spend at least $1.5 billion, but probably double that. And in many countries, Russia and China control the information space. Russian-backed candidates win elections in countries on their periphery simply because of Russian information programs. Asian countries box the United States and U.S. companies out of economic competition because of Chinese information programs.
    “And so faced with China and Russia spending somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 billion, when the United States, today, is spending only a fraction of that amount of money, it would stand to reason this would be a moment where we should come together, Republicans and Democrats, and dramatically increase our information warfare investments.
    “But of course, we are doing exactly the opposite. Trump is in the middle of a purposeful, relentless campaign to destroy – to destroy America’s global information power. 
    “The Trump administration just shut down the Global Engagement Center – that is the capacity at the State Department to try to counter Russian and Chinese propaganda around the world – gone, just gone. Global Engagement Center, bipartisan commitment set up years ago by myself and Rob Portman, supported by Marco Rubio when he was a senator, now just doesn’t exist anymore. The administration is dismantling the U.S. Agency for Global Media – that’s the umbrella arm that oversees our information programs around the world – they laid off 92% of its staff. Voice of America, the Middle East Broadcasting Network, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, they are on track to disappear. The arm of the VOA that combats Iranian anti-American information – gone. 54 different radio frequencies operated by Radio Free Asia to counter Chinese anti-American propaganda – gone. 
    At the same time, China is opening up 80 new radio frequencies in multiple languages, including in those regions where America is disappearing. We are handed the world to China and Russia by deciding to view American power only through a military lens. And this rescissions bill makes it worse by enacting billions of dollars of cuts, to diplomacy, to economic development programs, likely to information programs because we actually can’t see the impact of all of these cuts. 
    “It’s all surrender. China is throwing a blowout party as we disappear our nonmilitary power from the world. 
    “Trump terminated tens of millions of dollars in projects to upgrade Africa’s power grid. What did China do? They announced $50 billion of new financing for Africa. Africa, a place where the critical minerals exist to power A.I. and future defense systems. Africa, the part of the world whose economy’s going to explode with opportunity – now opportunity that will go to Chinese companies, not American companies, as we withdraw our relationships with that continent. As China steps into the breach. 
    “This revisions bill, standing next to Trump’s destruction of all of our non-military foreign policy tools, it’s surrender to our enemies. 
    “This bill is a double-cross. It is. It’s a double-cross. It’s going to harm our ability to ever be able to do a bipartisan budget process in the future. But even worse, this bill is surrender to our adversaries who are chomping at the bit to fill the void that we are creating by adopting the national security strategy of an 8-year-old boy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Statement on FY26 National Defense Authorization Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced that they have filed S. 2296, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (NDAA).

    Senator Reed issued the following statement after filing the bill:

    “This year’s National Defense Authorization Act represents a strong, bipartisan commitment to ensuring our military remains focused on its core mission: defending the United States against the growing threats we face around the world. From strategic competition with China and Russia to emerging dangers in cyberspace and space, this bill equips our forces to meet today’s challenges with strength and resolve.

    “This legislation also restores important guardrails for the Department of Defense and reaffirms the military’s independence and professionalism. It ensures resources are directed toward real national security priorities, not partisan agendas. I’m proud to have worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this done, and to ensure that America’s military remains strong, focused, and worthy of the trust the American people place in it.”

    The FY26 NDAA authorizes $879 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD) and $35 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy (DOE).  

    Highlights include:

    • Authorizes procurement of five Columbia-class submarines and $2.02 billion for aVirginia-class submarine, an increase of $1.2 billion over the budget request.
    • Provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for military servicemembers.
    • Expands efforts to mitigate and treat traumatic brain injuries and blast overpressure-related injuries.
    • Authorizes full funding for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) and provides support to advance the U.S. partnerships with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines, and directs an initiative to strengthen security cooperation across the respective defense industrial bases of U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific.
    • Extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2028 and increases USAI funding to $500 million in FY 2026.
    • Reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to assist Ukraine in maintaining a credible defense and deterrence capability, and requires DOD to continue to provide intelligence support, including information, intelligence, and imagery collection to Ukraine.
    • Limits the use of funds to reduce or consolidate U.S. force presence in Syria unless the Secretary of Defense certifies that Syrian partners forces can still effectively counter the threat from ISIS.
    • Directs DOD to use all available authorities to provide assistance, including training, equipment, logistics support, and supplies, to support and enhance the military forces of Jordan and Lebanon and provide a plan for how to implement that assistance.
    • Requires reports and provides greater resources for developing UAS technologies and responding to drone incursions.
    • Expands DOD’s artificial intelligence (AI) resources and establishes new DOD authorities to coordinate AI initiatives among U.S. allies and partners.
    • Supports reproductive healthcare by establishing a comprehensive in-vitro fertilization (IVF) healthcare benefit for active-duty servicemembers and their families.

    Oversight of the Trump Administration:

    • Prohibits any reduction in U.S. military force posture in Europe or the Korean Peninsula below 76,000 and 28,500 personnel, respectively, and prohibits any change in the U.S. military leadership of NATO or the Combined Forces Command – Korea without certain conditions. Further directs the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Commanders of U.S. European Command, Indo-Pacific Command, and U.S. Forces Korea to conduct independent risk assessments of any such changes.
    • Fences 25 percent of the travel budget for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) until the Secretary provides a bilaterally agreed 5-year Taiwan Security Assistance Roadmap and a number of other overdue reports, including a report on DOD efforts to identify, disseminate, and implement lessons learned from the war in Ukraine.
    • Requires DOD to report its incurred costs from supporting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in immigration enforcement activities; the number of migrants held at DOD installations and the associated costs; approved Requests for Assistance from DHS to support immigration enforcement operations; and the costs of using military aircraft and facilities to support DHS immigration enforcement operations.
    • Reinstates mandatory training for all military members on rules of engagement, domestic military operations, the code of conduct, and government ethics to protect against escalation during domestic operations.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to implement the renaming recommendations for military bases in Virginia that were adopted by the Naming Commission, and prohibits the Secretary of Defense from changing those names.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a minimum of 5 days notice to Congress if a military Judge Advocate General (JAG) is being removed, and a statement of the reason for the removal.
    • Requires the President to notify Congress of the removal of a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the reason for the removal not later than 5 days after the removal.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to notify Congress when military officers are removed from selection board reports and lists for reasons other than misconduct.

    View the bill text of the SASC-passed FY26 NDAA.

    View the executive summary of the FY26 NDAA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Announces $24 Million for Raleigh-Durham International Airport Improvements

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis announced a $24 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to realign key sections of the roadway in front of two terminals at Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) Airport and widen the roadway from two lanes to four lanes. The funding comes from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program for fiscal year 2025, which is partially funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), legislation that Senator Tillis helped negotiate, write, and pass into law.  

    “This funding will ensure that RDU not only meets national standards but also continues to provide an exceptional experience for passengers,” said Senator Tillis. “As the Triangle region continues to grow, it is vital that we invest in our public transportation and infrastructure, including our airports. I am proud to have worked alongside local leaders to secure this critical funding.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Army’s Tropic Lightning Division Enhances Lethality in Pacific With HIMARS, Retrains Howitzer Troops

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    New High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems rolled off aircraft in Hawaii this week. The systems are bound for a new mission with the 25th Infantry Division, also called “Tropic Lightning,” which expects to have a total of 16 HIMARS within weeks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Austin Scott on HASC Passage of FY26 NDAA

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement upon the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passing out of committee last night by a vote of 55-2. The NDAA sets Department of Defense (DoD) policies and authorizes funding levels for defense programs. 

    “Georgia’s military installations play a key role in implementing President Donald Trump’s strategy of Peace Through Strength,” Rep. Scott said. “The FY26 NDAA strengthens the U.S. military and enhances the quality of life for our warfighters and their families. I am proud to have several amendments included that support our military in their mission of defending the United States.” 

    “Congressman Austin Scott has been a steadfast voice for our servicemembers and their families as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. In the FY26 NDAA, his leadership ensures our warfighters—especially those serving at Robins and Moody Air Force Bases and the more than 20,000 reservists and guardsmen across Georgia—have the resources and support they need to defend our nation. Congressman Scott is always fighting to take care of the men and women who wear the uniform, said Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03).

    Rep. Scott had 18 amendments adopted during the HASC markup of the FY26 NDAA and another 10 were included in the base text of the bill. Some of the bill language provisions authored by Rep. Scott include: 

    PROVIDING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS AT ROBINS:

    The Chairman’s mark of the FY 26 NDAA contained two provisions that were championed by Rep. Scott throughout the drafting of this bill. 

    First, Section 1102 of the bill would allow for retired members of the Armed Forces to be appointed to competitive or excepted service positions in the Department of Defense without a waiver. This will allow more retired military personnel to continue to serve our country as civilians at Robins Air Force Base.

    Furthermore, included in the bill was an extension of the authority for depot working capital funds, like Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC), to be used for unspecified minor military construction from September 30, 2025 to September 30, 2027. This will enable WR-ALC to continue to modernize their facilities. 

    “Once again Congressman Scott delivers for Robins AFB! These two provisions are critical to ensure access to talent and to shore up aging infrastructure for the missions at Robins,” said Retired Brig Gen John Kubinec, President and CEO of the 21st Century Partnership. 

     

    SUPPORTING MISSIONS AT MOODY:

    Rep. Scott authored an amendment to delay the full retirement of the A-10C “Warthog” aircraft, several dozen of which are based at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, GA. The Scott amendment requires the Air Force to maintain a minimum of 96 A-10 aircraft in FY 26. The A-10C provides close air support and combat search-and-rescue capabilities unmatched by any other aircraft in the Air Force’s inventory.

    “Prematurely retiring the A-10 would create a combat readiness gap in the timeline for replacement of A-10s with the F-35s. This premature retirement also impacts operational continuity of all the AIRMEN who will be involved in transitioning to the F-35. Congressman Austin Scott’s amendment minimizes operational risk and ensures a safe, timely and effective transition from the A-10 to the F-35 for AIRMEN and our Air Force,” Dr. Lucy R. Greene, PhD., Community Supporter and Emeritus Member of the Air Combat Command Commanders Group.

    Also included was an amendment sponsored by Rep. Scott that would extend the intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) pilot program until September 30, 2030. Moody AFB has benefitted greatly from partnership tools, particularly the IGSA. The agreements provide additional flexibility in some areas for the base and keeps funds local. Moreover, Moody enjoys tremendous support from the Lowndes County community and government to include three IGSAs signed between Moody and Lowndes County.

    This important piece of legislation marked up by the House Armed Services Committee also included the following provisions by Rep. Scott:

    • Established a pilot program to provide service personnel with a voluntary option to enroll in a low-premium supplemental insurance plan to help protect against uncovered out-of-pocket expenses resulting from a cancer diagnosis in the family.

    • Renamed Fort Gordon in Augusta, GA as Fort Shughart Gordon. MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randy Shughart were two Delta snipers that fought and died in the October 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. They were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and their names deserved to be linked forever in history.

    • Strengthened deterrence against Russia in the Baltics by requiring the Secretary of Defense to identify and mitigate obstacles to the deployment of HIMARS platforms and munitions among Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in crisis scenarios.

    • Modified and extended annual reporting on military and security developments involving the Russian Federation to include Russia’s strategic goals, force posture, and military spending.

    • Expanded training of partner and allied forces to include space domain awareness.

    • Enhanced congressional oversight of the U.S. Africa Command.

    Other provisions inserted by Rep. Scott included establishing minimum facility requirements for military working dogs, authorizing the Secretary of Defense to evacuate family pets of American citizens during emergency evacuations on a space available basis, and enhancing the preservation and commemoration of our nation’s naval heritage. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Chu, Colleagues Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Chu, Colleagues Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    WATCH: Padilla pushes for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on the heels of another harsh heat wave across California, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.

    Co-leads of the legislation include U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12).

    To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

    The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

    “Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

    “Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift.  The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

    “From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.” 

    “As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

    “This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

    “As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.” 

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

    From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.

    The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Resources Defense Council, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

    “Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

    “Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

    “For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers. 

    “Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

    “It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”

    “Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

    “Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    Senator Padilla has acted urgently to address the threats posed by extreme heat as the climate crisis becomes more severe. Padilla successfully called on OSHA to establish the first-ever federal safety standard to protect workers from the severe risks of excessive heat, implementing key provisions from the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Padilla and his colleagues also led 112 members of Congress in calling on the Biden Administration to implement a workplace federal heat standard as quickly as possible. The letter urged OSHA to model the standard after the provisions in the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Additionally, Padilla and Markey’s Preventing Health Emergencies and Temperature-related (HEAT) Illness and Deaths Act advanced out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation last year.

    Padilla previously joined union members and workers from UFW and the Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO in Forty Acres, California in 2023 to announce his legislation to implement an enforceable federal workplace heat standard.

    A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

    A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: ESCO Technologies Announces Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    St. Louis, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE) will report its third quarter financial results after the market close on Thursday, August 7, 2025, followed by a conference call where the financial results and related commentary will be discussed.  

    Event:      Third Quarter 2025 Conference Call
    Date:        Thursday, August 7
    Time:        4:00 p.m. Central Time

    The conference call webcast and an accompanying slide presentation will be available in the Investor Center of ESCO’s website. The slide presentation will be utilized during the call and will be posted on the website prior to the call. Participants may also access the webcast using this registration link.

    For those unable to participate, a webcast replay will be available after the call in the Investor Center of ESCO’s website.

    ESCO Technologies is a global provider of highly engineered products and solutions serving diverse end-markets. It manufactures filtration and fluid control products, advanced composites, as well as signature and power management solutions for aviation, Navy, space, and industrial customers. ESCO is an industry leader in designing and manufacturing RF test and measurement products and systems; and provides diagnostic instruments, software and services to industrial power users and the electric utility and renewable energy industries. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, ESCO and its subsidiaries have offices and manufacturing facilities worldwide. For more information on ESCO and its subsidiaries, visit ESCO’s website at www.escotechnologies.com

    SOURCE ESCO Technologies Inc.
    Kate Lowrey, Vice President of Investor Relations, (314) 213-7277

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Rep. Sherrill Backs Amendment to Hold Hegseth Accountable for SignalGate and Mishandling Classified Info

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — During the House Armed Services Committee’s markup of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) spoke in strong support of an amendment that would hold the Pentagon accountable for reviewing and certifying secure protocols for transmitting classified information.

    The amendment comes in direct response to multiple reports that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared classified operational details — including the timing and aircraft involved in U.S. airstrikes — over unsecured Signal chats with personal contacts, including his wife, brother, personal attorney, and a reporter. 

    Click here to watch Rep. Sherrill’s full remarks.

    Full remarks, as delivered:
    “You know, I think it’s very concerning to hear from the other side of the aisle that there isn’t a focus on accountability, that there shouldn’t be any accountability. And I will tell you, especially when it comes to national security, that can never be the case. I learned early how to properly handle classified information when I was a teenager at the Naval Academy.

    I used that knowledge again as I was a Russian policy officer in the Navy. So I’ll start with the obvious. If Secretary Hegseth believed a word he said about turning our military into a meritocracy, he would have sent in his resignation weeks ago. His decision to send strike plans in multiple unsecured Signal chats to his wife, to his brother, to his personal attorney and to a reporter could have killed American service members. And he did so while at least one Signal chat member was in the Kremlin.

    Accountability matters, but I’m not surprised by his complete disregard for national security and for the safety of our men and women in uniform, because from his views on women in combat to his willingness to bend the knee to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, we knew exactly who Trump was picking.

    That’s why I strongly opposed his nomination from the very beginning. But I will say that I am surprised by some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in this room, because every single individual in this room knows that the information shared on Signal was classified. Any member of the House Armed Services Committee knows without a doubt that the timing, schedule, and composition of operations are absolutely classified.

    Every individual in this room knows that Hegseth’s use of Signal could have gotten American service members killed. So even if you haven’t served in uniform, you know how to handle classified information by virtue of sitting on this very committee. We host any hearing with classified information into secure rooms without our phones and without messaging apps like Signal, which is why I think it’s a dereliction of duty that the majority on this committee has refused to hold any sort of investigative hearing into Hegseth’s behavior.

    Nearly every Republican in this room has sat back and watched, or even worse, defended Pete Hegseth’s behavior. So I encourage us to rectify that now, as we hold the Department of Defense accountable for protecting our national security and our service members’ lives, which is why I urge you to support this amendment and I yield back.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: 317th AW showcases combat readiness in major AMC inspection

    Source: United States Airforce

    The 317th Airlift Wing completed the initial phase of its first-ever Combat Readiness Inspection, evaluated by Air Mobility Command at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

    The CRI measured the wing’s ability to rapidly deploy combat-ready forces in contested, degraded and operationally limited environments, directly supporting Air Force and Department of Defense objectives.

    “Our wing’s number one priority is ‘mission execution upon notification’,” said Col. Justin Diehl, 317th AW commander. “317th Airmen continuously train to rapidly respond with precision to the most complex operating environments in the world, and this inspection offered another opportunity to validate their timelines.”

    The inspection began with a mock 24-hour deployment notification. Airmen received scenario-based intelligence, a briefing from leadership and guidance on deployment expectations.

    “When given a sudden notification to deploy, our team has the necessary skills to move out and lead at scale,” said Chief Master Sgt. Martin Castillo, 317th AW command chief. “This gives the wing the ability to execute the commander’s intent instantly.”

    A loadmaster assigned to the 39th Airlift Squadron configures cargo rollers inside a C-130J Super Hercules during a Combat Readiness Inspection at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, July 1, 2025. The inspection evaluated the 317th Airlift Wing’s ability to rapidly generate and deploy combat-ready airpower in support of global mobility operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrien Tran)
    Airman 1st Class Christian Sanchez, 7th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance journeyman, checks an entry authorization list during a Combat Readiness Inspection at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, July 1, 2025. The 317th Airlift Wing was evaluated by Air Mobility Command during its first graded CRI. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrien Tran)
    Airmen assigned to the 317th Airlift Wing observe activity from the side hatch of a C-130J Super Hercules during a Combat Readiness Inspection at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, July 1, 2025. The Air Mobility Command inspection tested the wing’s ability to rapidly deploy mission-ready Airmen and equipment under realistic, time-constrained scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrien Tran)

    Throughout the CRI, AMC inspectors general and wing inspection team members evaluated the 317th AW’s execution of deployment operations. Airmen were tasked to rapidly generate aircraft, process cargo and mission plan while also completing the associated administrative and medical requirements.

    “The key to success in this CRI is our ‘we’re going’ mindset,” Castillo said. “Our Airmen understand that our culture is rooted in being prepared to deploy at a moment’s notice to execute high-end operations around the world.”

    Upon receiving the CRI deployment order, Airmen staged pallets and equipment for transport, loaded C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and prepared aircrews for maximum endurance operations, ensuring the 317th AW performed mission execution upon notification.

    “Our Airmen consistently meet and exceed our expectations,” Diehl said. “They think and move fast, maintaining the precision required to respond to global operations in contested environments. The CRI was another opportunity to highlight the effort they put in every day.”

    The 317th AW used the CRI to prepare to participate in the Air Force’s Department Level Exercise, an initiative designed to demonstrate the service’s readiness for complex, large-scale military operations.

    “This wing operates at the leading edge,” Diehl said. “Through the CRI, our Airmen demonstrated their ability through their advanced training to solve challenges in an increasingly complex global environment.

    The completion of the initial phase of the CRI underscores the 317th AW’s ability to generate and employ combat-ready airpower at a moment’s notice. The milestone reinforces the wing’s ‘we’re going’ mindset and highlights its vital role in delivering rapid global mobility and ensuring U.S. and coalition forces can respond to known and emerging threats decisively and effectively.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Software Catalog Puts Agency Solutions at Innovators’ Fingertips

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s latest open Software Catalog, released Wednesday, offers more than 1,200 downloadable codes developed by agency engineers that could enable faster solutions to energize the space economy and stimulate American ingenuity. The catalog is part of NASA’s effort to place advanced technologies, including agency software, into the hands of businesses, researchers, and entrepreneurs to foster economic growth and innovation.
    Agency developers will provide more information about the Software Catalog, the only repository of its kind in the federal government, during NASA’s summer software webinar series beginning Tuesday, July 22.
    “NASA has droves of talented experts creating software to automate elements of agency missions,” said Dan Lockney, program executive, Technology Transfer at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The resulting efficiency benefits humankind, and its public value increases exponentially when the agency provides access to those software programs for companies, enabling them to save time and money, improve commercial offerings, and build their businesses.”
    The four webinars accompanying this year’s NASA Software Catalog feature developers of popular programs for mission planning, systems design, propulsion analysis, and more, each consisting of a presentation followed by a live question-and-answer session.
    Programs offered in NASA’s 2025-2026 Software Catalog are grouped into 15 categories that may be useful for organizations working with spacecraft and aircraft. For example, the Vehicle Management category includes a tool for designing satellite constellations and a software library for minimizing public safety risks around expendable launch vehicles. The Aeronautics section includes several programs that are widely used by industry for creating, modifying, and analyzing aircraft designs.
    Although the categories have specific themes, the codes are meant to be useful to various innovators. Companies can use aircraft programs NASA wrote to design cars, trucks, and countless other products. The catalog’s Business Systems and Project Management section includes software for estimating project costs, building and assessing complex schedules, and uncovering root causes of mishaps. Other popular programs support 3D rendering for simulation and virtual reality, bring hyper-accuracy to GPS tracking, and analyze electrical power system architectures.
    NASA released its first Software Catalog more than a decade ago in 2013, and since then, the agency’s annual rate of software downloads has skyrocketed, reaching up to 5,722 downloads in a single year.
    The Software Catalog is a product of NASA’s Technology Transfer program, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. NASA routinely makes improvements to the Software Catalog website, ensuring the process is fast and easy. Access restrictions apply to some software that may be limited to use by U.S. citizens or for U.S. government purposes only.
    View and learn more about NASA’s Software Catalog by visiting:
    https://software.nasa.gov
    -end-
    Jasmine HopkinsHeadquarters, Washington321-432-4624jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Effect of the emissions trading system on the attractiveness of the outermost regions for air and sea transport – the case of Guadeloupe – E-001915/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission is aware of the permanent constraints faced by the outermost regions, notably their heavy dependence on air and sea transport. This is why these regions benefit from specific conditions under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS[1]).

    Nearly 100%[2] of all the emissions from flights to/from Guadeloupe are connected to France and therefore not priced under the ETS before 2031[3].

    Despite these flights not being subject to carbon pricing, the ETS provides a higher level of support when sustainable aviation fuels[4] are uplifted at airports in outermost regions, when 100% of the cost difference with traditional kerosene is covered.

    Similarly, until end of 2030, the ETS imposes no surrendering obligation for maritime transport emissions from voyages between a port in an outermost region and a port in the same Member State.

    The FuelEU Maritime Regulation[5] also covers only half of the voyages to/from outermost regions, and Member States can fully exempt voyages between two outermost regions until 2029.

    The Commission is carefully monitoring the implementation of the ETS and FuelEU in relation to maritime, taking due account of outermost regions.

    The first Commission report[6] does not find any evidence of major changes in the market being directly attributable to the introduction of the ETS — including for outermost regions. The Commission will continue its monitoring activities and propose, if necessary, measures to ensure the effective implementation of the ETS.

    In terms of support mechanisms, Member States are required to use all revenues generated by the ETS to tackle climate change, including in outermost regions. Several other EU instruments include favourable conditions for these regions to address their transport needs[7].

    • [1] Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
    • [2] Eurocontrol data indicates that, in 2024, the emissions from flights to and from Guadeloupe were 98.7% domestic.
    • [3] Flights to/from an outermost region within the same Member State are exempt, thus no additional costs stem from the application of the ETS.
    • [4] https://climate.ec.europa.eu/document/download/7eace0de-fbc8-46c5-b52c-80d50f406c58_en?filename=policy_transport_aviation_airport_100_support_en.pdf.
    • [5] Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport, and amending Directive 2009/16/EC (OJ L 234, 22.9.2023, p. 48, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1805/oj).
    • [6]  COM(2025) 110 final — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0110.
    • [7] The European Regional Development Fund supports airport infrastructure and compensates for their higher operating costs. The Connecting Europe Facility supports transport infrastructure with higher co-financing rates in these regions. Moreover, several Public Service Obligations ensure connectivity with outermost regions. Social aid schemes support air transport for residents of remote regions.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Aircraft noise around Schiphol – P-002158/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. Regulation (EU) No 598/2014[1] (hereafter the ‘Regulation’) requires a balancing of economic and environmental interests when Member States implement noise related measures at airports. The noise situation should be regularly assessed, and Member States may implement measures including operating restrictions.

    2. The regulation refers to the method, indicators and noise information to be provided when Member States intend to implement noise-related operating restrictions. Another very important element of the process is carrying out appropriate stakeholder consultations and the cost-efficiency. All elements should allow a thorough analysis on which measures are needed to achieve the desired noise objective.

    3. On 5 March 2025, the Commission adopted its decision[2] on the notified operating restrictions for Schiphol airport, which is publicly available.

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/598/oj/eng.
    • [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32025D0519.
    Last updated: 16 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Rights of air passengers with disabilities – E-001935/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    In 2023, the Commission proposed[1] a targeted revision of the EU passenger rights legislation with a focus on effective enforcement, including Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006[2] (the ‘Regulation’).

    A broad stakeholder consultation required by the Better Regulation framework[3] preceded the adoption of the Commission proposal, to which representatives of persons with disabilities also contributed.

    The regulation already includes several provisions that oblige operators to actively engage with representatives of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility (PRM).

    For instance, when establishing quality standards for assisting PRM, airport managing bodies are required to collaborate with organisations representing these individuals[4].

    Similarly, airport managing bodies must work with such organisations when designating arrival and departure points where PRM can announce their presence at the airport[5].

    Additionally, Recital 10 of the regulation emphasises that airports and air carriers should have regard to ECAC Doc No 30, Part I, Section 5[6], when organising disability awareness and assistance training for their personnel.

    This document underscores the importance of cooperation between airport managing bodies, air carriers, and organisations representing PRM in developing training programs, policies, and procedures.

    Accordingly, the Commission did not consider that there was a need to impose new obligations on airports and airlines to consult representatives of persons with disabilities.

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52023PC0753.
    • [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1107/oj/eng.
    • [3] https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-making-process/better-regulation_en.
    • [4] See Article 9(1) of the regulation.
    • [5] See Article 5(1) of the regulation.
    • [6] The latest version of the document (13th Edition, December 2023) can be found at: https://www.ecac-ceac.org/images/activities/facilitation/ECAC-Doc_30_Part_I_Facilitation_13th_edition_13_Dec_2023.pdf.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Stresses Urgent Need to Modernize Our Air Traffic Control Systems at Summit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 15, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee—today underscored both the long-term and immediate actions the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must take to improve and modernize our air traffic control systems in order to safeguard our aviation system and the flying public. At today’s Air Traffic Control Modernization Summit hosted by aviation industry stakeholders, Duckworth also emphasized her grave concerns over the Trump Administration firing hundreds of FAA employees and appointing a new FAA Administrator with an established track record of opposing the 1,500-hour pilot training standard, which is critical to ensuring our nation’s pilots are experienced and prepared for any scenario. Photos of the event can be found on Senator Duckworth’s website.

    “The deadly DCA crash, spike in near misses and air traffic control equipment outages our nation has seen are terrifying, but they are not surprising,” said Duckworth. “I’ve been sounding the alarm about close calls and aging equipment for years because the urgent need to overhaul our air traffic control systems, which will take years, has been so clear for so long. But in addition to that long-term overhaul, FAA needs to ensure our current system remains safe—not fire hundreds of staff or reduce our nation’s pilot training gold standard.”

    For years, Duckworth has been sounding the alarm that we must make these critical aviation safety investments immediately to prevent all-too-often near-misses from becoming catastrophic tragedies. Last Congress, Duckworth chaired two CST Aviation Subcommittee hearings—one last December and the other a year prior—to address our aviation industry’s chilling surge in near-deadly close calls and underscore the urgent need to improve air traffic control systems to protect the flying public.

    Last week, Duckworth voted against the nomination of Bryan Bedford to serve as FAA Administrator after he refused to commit to upholding the 1,500-hour rule when she pressed him on the issue during his nomination hearing. Duckworth criticized Bedford for leaving the door open for him to unilaterally attempt to weaken this standard and produce less-prepared pilots despite the serious challenges our nation is facing with regard to aviation safety.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bacon Lauds Progress on FY26 Defense Policy Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

    Bacon Lauds Progress on FY26 Defense Policy Bill

    Washington – Late Tuesday evening, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee (CITI), voted in favor of advancing H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. The bill was reported out of committee by a vote of 55 – 2. The annual legislation, which contains multiple amendments and provisions authored by Rep. Bacon, authorizes defense spending and sets the policy and priorities for the Armed Forces. 

    “Once again, the People’s House proves that bipartisan progress is possible where it matters most,” said Chairman Bacon after completing his ninth annual full-committee markup of the NDAA. “When it comes to national security, the American people expect us to work across the aisle to provide for the common defense. It’s been a long couple of months, but I am proud of what we produced and look forward to advancing this important legislation in the House.”     

    Highlights from the committee’s FY 2026 bill include:

    • Sets major reforms to the defense acquisition system to speed development and fielding of modern technologies while reducing bureaucracy 
    • Preserves development of the U.S. Air Force E-7 advanced airborne warning and control system
    • Preserves U.S. force posture in Europe and authorizes additional security assistance to Ukraine 
    • Fully funds modernization of the U.S strategic nuclear deterrent including development of the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile – Nuclear

    In addition, the committee’s bill contains numerous legislative proposals sponsored by Rep. Bacon, including: 

    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to prepare an implementation plan to establish a Joint Task Force Cyber for the Indo-Pacific area of operations
    • Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide an acquisition and fielding strategy for the F-47 advanced fighter aircraft program
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide an independent assessment of toxic exposure in the AF ICMB community
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide an implementation plan to reform Department of Defense (DoD) casualty assistance programs 
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network 
    • Directs significant security upgrades to DoD mobile telecommunications
    • Directs the major defense acquisitions programs to prepare digital manufacturing transition plans for critical components 
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the Center for Strategic Deterrence and WMD Studies at the National Defense University
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to improve cancer detection and prevention measures for DoD firefighters 
    • Directs updates on the U.S. Space Force Satellite Control Network

    Watch Rep. Bacon’s remarks here and see full remarks as delivered below:

    “Thank you, Chairman Rogers. I want to begin by thanking all the members of the subcommittee for their dedication and thoughtful work in creating a strong, bipartisan, Cyber, IT and Innovative Subcommittee print. The subcommittee’s package advances departments’ cyber and innovation ecosystems and conducts critical oversight. I also want to thank our great subcommittee staff, led by Sarah Moxley. Every member of the staff are professional experts on both sides of the aisle.

    “The subcommittee’s mission is to ensure that warfighters are armed with the most innovative technologies that improve lethality and increase U.S. capabilities. Modern technology is fast paced, so ensuring the department of Defense is at the leading edge of technology is imperative to deterring adversaries. Warfighters must have the tools to fight across all domains on the battlefield, in cyberspace, now and in the future.

    “I’m looking forward to continuing to optimize these efforts as the committee considers the FY 26 NDAA. The FY 26 CITI subcommittee print prioritizes the continued improvement of testing and evaluation through digital processes, supports the research and development of novel technologies, and improves the department’s cyber practices. This package brings flexibility for research and development across the department to ensure rapid innovation.

    “The print achieves this through the empowering of the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, and improving the ability to do developmental prototyping, creating a bridge over the Valley of Death. It also directs the use of digital engineering and modern software practices to create a more agile and accurate testing and evaluation process. 

    “Additionally, the subcommittee print directs the department to use modern technology to improve processes and cyber practices, provisions leverage AI to bolster cybersecurity skills, create new lines of efforts for using generative AI, and continue to lay out the framework for the department’s adoption of AI. The subcommittee print supports the continued research and development of hypersonic programs and modernization and expansion of hypersonic testing and evaluation. Finally, the print includes several recommendations from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology.

    “These provisions give the department tools to optimize the military use of biotechnology, to guarantee that the U.S. remains the world’s leader in biotechnology innovation. Overall, the subcommittee print ensures the U.S. remains status as the most lethal warfighting force in the world. Lastly, I want to thank Ranking Member Khanna for his bipartisanship and dedication to producing the subcommittee print.

    “We believe this package will continue to give the department the flexibility and tools needed to deliver the most modern technology to the hand of the warfighters. And with that, I yield back.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Norcross Secures Priorities to Invest in South Jersey, Increase National Defense Innovation as NDAA Advances

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee and Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ), advanced the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of committee and secured priorities that invest in South Jersey and increase national defense innovation. This is the 65th year that the NDAA, the largest authorization bill in Congress with a budget of $882.6 billion, passed out of committee, continuing the tradition of bipartisan cooperation on this bill.   

    “The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was passed out of committee is a commitment to our nation’s security and a steadfast investment in the courageous men and women in our armed forces. It ensures that we have what every commander wants for their troops: that they are manned, trained, and equipped with the best to carry out our nation’s mission and return home safely. It provides a $3.8% pay raise to all servicemembers and it cuts down on red tape to make certain that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to keep our country safe,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “This bipartisan legislation strengthens our industrial base, reinforces Buy American principles, supports our allies, and includes the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) Act to streamline procurement and decision-making. As ranking member of the Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee, I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to strengthen our national defense, continue investing in our industrial base, and deliver for South Jersey.”

    The FY26 NDAA improves military readiness and strengthens American industry by cutting red tape, fixing outdated systems, and supporting defense innovation. The FY26 NDAA also includes a 3.8% pay raise for all servicemembers and a 60 percent increase in the Family Separation Allowance which increases the monthly allowance to military families separated due to mission requirements.  

    Rep. Norcross authored an amendment that was adopted in a bipartisan vote to protect Department of Defense employees by restoring their collective bargaining rights after President Trump illegally issued an executive order that stripped these rights away.  

    Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA Priorities Secured by Rep. Norcross: 

    • Over $618 million for CH-47 helicopters, which will be manufactured by South Jersey workers. 
    • Over $2.5 billion for the KC-46 refueler aircraft, which flies out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst.  
    • $5 million to Rowan University for research, development, and engineering to enable rapid entry and sustainment in the Arctic and other cold regions being conducted. 
    • Protected Buy American principles, American jobs, and manufacturing by making sure defense programs continue using U.S.-made parts and materials, keeping our industrial base strong 
    • Required a detailed Pentagon briefing on how it will spend reconciliation funds to strengthen and modernize the munitions industrial base, holding the Pentagon accountable for how it will use the funds. 
    • Required a DoD study on the state of the skilled trade workforce essential to Navy shipbuilding to strengthen the training and workforce pipeline and increase our shipbuilding capacity. 
    • Protected the E-7 Wedgetail program from cancellation, ensuring $800 million in continued investment in this critical airborne warning and control capability. 
    • $9.9 million investment to enhance Army command and control for unmanned systems and their defense which will be developed by South Jersey workers.  
    • $10 million for research and development of man-portable doppler radars for Army Network Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence (C3I) Technology. 
    • $50 million to support U.S.-Israel anti-tunneling cooperation. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vitaly Savelyev held an extended meeting on the development of the unmanned aircraft systems industry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    An extended meeting on the development of the unmanned aircraft systems industry was held at the Government Coordination Centre under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev. The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Education and Science, subjects, as well as manufacturers of unmanned aircraft systems and their operators.

    Participants presented up-to-date data on the production and use of advanced unmanned systems for various sectors of the economy, and discussed a number of opportunities that could contribute to the further development of the industry in terms of increasing production volumes and the use of UAS.

    An important issue of stimulating the use of UAS at various levels remains the development of means of their identification and further integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the airspace. The introduction of a new class of airspace – H with the use of a simplified procedure for using airspace for the performance of flights of unmanned aircraft is at the final stage of development. In addition, a unified system for identifying unmanned transport is being created based on the state information system “ERA-GLONASS”. The practical implementation of these solutions will create additional opportunities for opening the skies in the regions for the use of unmanned aircraft.

    In 2024, the production volume of civil unmanned aircraft systems increased more than 2.5 times – from 6 thousand units to 16.4 thousand units compared to 2023. In total, there are currently more than 600 UAS and component manufacturers.

    In addition, all participants of the meeting noted the importance of training personnel for UAS management, including the integration of veterans of the Air Defense Forces into civilian professions in the UAS industry. Thanks to the activities of the federal project “Personnel for Unmanned Aircraft Systems” of the national project “Unmanned Aircraft Systems”, more than 10 thousand people were trained in 2024. This year, it is planned to train 5.6 thousand people. In total, about 68 thousand people are undergoing training under the programs of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Education and the NTI Fund in various areas related to UAS.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –