Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 29, 2020

A B-52 bomber carrying the ARRW.

Breaking Defense: Lockheed Martin, Air Force Press Ahead On Air-Launched Hypersonic Missile

Lockheed Martin is designing what it calls a new Hypersonic Strike Weapon-Air Breathing (which goes by the awful acronym HSW-ab) for DARPA. John Varley, Lockheed's VP for hypersonic weapons, wouldn't provide details due to the program's high level of classification.

AFA 2020: Lockheed Martin’s air-launched hypersonic missile will complete its critical design review (CDR) today, as the company and the Air Force press ahead on development, John Varley, vice president for hypersonic weapons at Lockheed Martin, says.

The company’s first contract for the Air Force’s AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), inked in 2018, was set at $480 million for concept development. In December 2019, it nabbed another contract, worth $998 million, to bring its concept to CDR.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 29, 2020

Lockheed Releases ‘Most Useful’ Computer-Generated Image of Hypersonic Boost-Glide Missile Ever -- Sputnik

Army Ramps Up Funding For Laser Shield, Hypersonic Sword -- Breaking Defense

US developing $20m hypersonic 'glider' to intercept missiles -- The Telegraph

US Defences Are Incapable of Intercepting Russian, Chinese Missiles, Navy Admiral Admits -- Sputnik

America's F-35 Can't Stand Against Russia's Su-57 Armed With Hypersonic Missiles -- National Defense

Strategic Command boss warns of nuclear ‘point of no return’ -- Defense News

Kratos begins XQ-58A Valkyrie production, despite funding delay caused by mishap -- Flight Global

Air Force general: Two-bomber fleet is the future -- Defense News

Lockheed Martin awarded $141.7M for repair capabilities for the F-35 -- UPI

SpaceX’s founder tells US Air Force the era of fighter jets is ending -- Defense News

The Air Force Has Updated its Song to Be Gender-Neutral -- Military.com

Marine Corps CH-53K King Stallion Helicopter On Track To Become Heaviest Lifter In Joint Force -- Forbes

Will the Marine Corps become the US military’s smartest branch? -- Marine Times

Navy's 2nd Fleet escorts convoy across the Atlantic -- UPI

It's Only A Matter Of Time Before Railguns Are Deployed On Navy Ships -- National Interest

Commentary: Defense Department Tackling Industrial Base Issues -- National Defense

Top US Navy official expresses concerns about growing threat from China -- SCMP

Coronavirus Limiting US Military Across Globe -- VOA

For American Military, Coronavirus Is an Enemy to Be Fought -- NYT

US military scrambles to cope with global 'threat' posed by coronavirus -- CNN

French defense firms fête formidable profits in 2019 -- Defense News

Ex-British Admiral Claims ‘Americans Very Jealous of Amazing’ UK Aircraft Carriers -- Sputnik

Russia conducts first ship-based hypersonic missile test: TASS -- Reuters

Combat Deployment of new Russian Hypersonic Missile-hunting Radar in March -- Defense World

China postpones 2020 H1 military recruiting -- The Hill

China, Cambodia to hold joint military training -- The Star

Kim Jong-un Guides ‘Joint Strike Drill’ -- Stars and Stripes

India's Hypersonic Missile Could Start A Nuclear War -- Michael Peck, National Interest

5 Ways China Has Turned Pakistan Into a Military Monster -- Charlie Gao, National Interest