Flight of Boeing E-6B Mercurys amid Trump's coronavirus announcement 'purely coincidental': Strategic Command

Two Boeing E-6B Mercury planes were detected flying along both coasts of the U.S. mainland early Friday, around the time President Trump announced he and first lady Melania Trump were diagnosed with coronavirus – but the flights were “pre-planned” and the timing was “purely coincidental,” a U.S. Strategic Command spokesman told Fox News.

A senior defense official also told Fox News there has been “no change to the posture of the U.S. military,” adding, “The president remains the commander-in-chief.”

Trackers on social media noted that one Boeing E-6B Mercury was flying along the East Coast and another was spotted in the air above Oregon.

The E-6B is used by the government to convey instructions to the fleet of ballistic submarines the U.S. has in waters around the world. The vessels can deploy nuclear-tipped Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).

The planes are part of Operation Looking Glass – known today as Airborne Command Post (ABNCP) – and are used to provide command and control of U.S. nuclear forces if any ground-based command centers are either destroyed or inoperable.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trumps-positive-coronavirus-test-prompts-pentagon-to-deploy-nuclear-command-plane

The U.S. Army Wants to Arm Its Troops With Micro-Drones

Under heavy enemy small arms fire, seeking cover behind walls and under rocks, dismounted, infantry units are often at a loss to know enemy positions and movements. Many enemy maneuvers are inside buildings, hidden by mountainous terrain or otherwise obscured from view by overhead drones and aerial surveillance. Closing with an enemy in the close-in-fight, often called Close Quarter Battle (CQB), requires an ability to adjust in seconds to unanticipated enemy actions, developments which in many cases are almost impossible to predict.

Having an organic, individually operated forward mini-drone, however, might enable infantry to look on the other side of a ridge, see into the next room in a building or simply offer that “unblinking eye” in otherwise inaccessible areas.

This tactical reality is exactly why the U.S. Army is now fast-tracking larger numbers of a tiny three-pound drones to, as Army documents explain it, “provide the squad with an organic ‘quick look.’”

It’s called the Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS), a tiny mini-drone intended to give soldiers on the move a quick look around a corner, eyes into a building or over-the-ridge glance at enemy positions, providing an unprecedented tactical advantage.

“At a total system weight of less than three pounds, SBS minimizes the transport burdens placed on the squad while providing situational awareness to one kilometer with fifteen minutes of endurance,” the Army’s Small Unmanned Aircraft System Strategy states.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/us-army-wants-arm-its-troops-micro-drones-169972

General Dynamics Land Systems awarded $1.2 Billion U.S. Army Contract for Stryker IM-SHORAD Vehicles

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., Oct. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was awarded a $1.219 billion contract to produce, test and deliver Interim Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) systems to the U.S. Army. The Army's initial order on the contract calls for 28 Stryker IM-SHORAD vehicles for $230 million.

"General Dynamics and our teammates Leonardo DRS and Raytheon are pleased to be able to partner with the Army to bring this powerful capability to U.S. Soldiers," said Don Kotchman, Vice President and General Manager of GD Land Systems. "This dedicated SHORAD capability adds a new operational dimension to the Stryker fleet in all of the Army's maneuver formations."

The IM-SHORAD is designed to counter threats from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and a multitude of other Rotary and Fixed Wing aircraft, and provides a common Army platform that is cost-effective, highly mobile, survivable, sustainable and transportable.

Stryker continues to be a highly sought platform beyond the Stryker Brigade Combat Team formations.

Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of September, 30, 2025. GD Land Systems has production locations in Tallahassee, Florida; Scranton, Pennsylvania; London, Ontario; Lima, Ohio; and Anniston, Alabama.

Headquartered in Sterling Heights, Michigan, General Dynamics Land Systems provides innovative design, engineering, technology, production and full life-cycle support for land combat vehicles around the globe. The company's extensive experience, customer-first focus and seasoned supply chain network provide unmatched capabilities to the U.S. military and its allies. More information about General Dynamics Land Systems is available at www.gdls.com.

General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; IT services; C4ISR solutions; and shipbuilding and ship repair. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $39.4 billion in revenue in 2019. More information about General Dynamics is available at www.gd.com.

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/general-dynamics-land-systems-awarded-1-2-billion-u-s-army-contract-for-stryker-im-shorad-vehicles-1029644319#