The Air Force is Nickle and Diming, F-35 Close Call, Soldiers are expected to PT, Not today ISIS, and more.

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Topics:

• Fit for the Fight: Army's 2025 Fitness Test Overhaul
• Foiled in the Arsenal: FBI Stops ISIS-Inspired Plot in Detroit
• Stealth Under Fire: F-35’s Close Call with Houthi Missiles in Yemen
• Orbiting Innovation: Spire Global’s $237M Space Force Leap
• Shielding the Skies: RTX’s $2.13B Boost for SM-3 Missile Defense
• Silent Power Play: U.S. Deploys USS Ohio in China’s Pacific Sphere
• Cash Crunch in the Skies: Air Force Halts 2025 Retention Bonuses

Fit for the Fight: Army's 2025 Fitness Test Overhaul

The U.S. Army is replacing the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) with the new Army Fitness Test (AFT), effective June 1, 2025. The AFT aims to enhance soldier readiness, improve warfighting capability, and align with modern combat demands. Key changes include the elimination of the controversial Standing Power Throw ("yeet" event), the introduction of gender-neutral standards for 21 combat roles, and updated scoring benchmarks. The test retains five events: three-repetition maximum deadlift, hand-release push-ups, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and a two-mile run. Soldiers in combat roles must score at least 350 points (60 points per event), while non-combat roles require 300 points. The phased rollout begins June 2025, with combat standards effective January 1, 2026, for active-duty soldiers and June 1, 2026, for Reserves and National Guard. The changes stem from congressional mandates, Rand Corp. analysis, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s push for uniform combat standards. While the AFT is seen as a step toward fairness and readiness, some concerns remain about scoring clarity and preparation time.

Foiled in the Arsenal: FBI Stops ISIS-Inspired Plot in Detroit

On May 13, 2025, the FBI arrested 19-year-old Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a former Michigan Army National Guard member, for planning a mass shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM), also known as the Detroit Arsenal, in Warren, Michigan. Acting on behalf of the Islamic State (ISIS), Said allegedly collaborated with two undercover FBI agents, unaware of their true identities. He provided armor-piercing ammunition, magazines, and drone surveillance, and trained the agents in firearms and Molotov cocktail construction. The plot, uncovered after a year-long investigation sparked by Said’s expressed desire for “violent jihad,” was thwarted just before execution. Said faces federal charges of attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, with a potential 40-year sentence if convicted. The case highlights the FBI’s proactive counterterrorism efforts and raises questions about radicalization within military ranks.

Stealth Under Fire: F-35’s Close Call with Houthi Missiles in Yemen

During Operation Rough Rider, a U.S. bombing campaign against Houthi targets in Yemen launched on March 15, 2025, a U.S. F-35 stealth fighter was forced to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a Houthi surface-to-air missile (SAM), according to a U.S. official. The incident, reported on May 13, 2025, occurred within the first 30 days of the campaign, highlighting the unexpected sophistication of Houthi air defenses. The missile, likely an infrared-guided Thaqib-1 or Saqr/358, came close enough to require the F-35 pilot to act, raising concerns about the jet’s stealth capabilities against low-cost, mobile SAM systems. The campaign, which cost over $1 billion and involved 1,100 strikes, also saw seven MQ-9 Reaper drones downed and two F/A-18 Super Hornets lost, underscoring the Houthi threat. The operation ended on May 8, 2025, with a Trump-negotiated ceasefire. The incident has sparked debate about the F-35’s vulnerabilities, U.S. tactics, and the growing effectiveness of Iran-backed Houthi defenses.

Orbiting Innovation: Spire Global’s $237M Space Force Leap

On May 14, 2025, Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR), a leading provider of space-based data and analytics, was selected by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command for a 10-year, $237 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract under the Space Test Experiments Platform (STEP) 2.0 program. As one of 12 companies chosen, Spire will compete for task orders to design, build, integrate, and operate small satellite buses hosting experimental payloads for the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program. The contract leverages Spire’s vertically integrated satellite manufacturing and mission operations to support rapid, on-orbit testing of next-generation space technologies. This selection strengthens Spire’s role in national security and commercial space innovation, following recent contracts with NASA and the European Space Agency. Posts on X reflect optimism about Spire’s growth, though the company’s $324.54 million market cap and liquidity challenges (current ratio of 0.61) suggest financial hurdles ahead.

Shielding the Skies: RTX’s $2.13B Boost for SM-3 Missile Defense

On May 12, 2025, RTX Corporation’s Raytheon unit secured a $2.13 billion modification contract from the Missile Defense Agency to support the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block missile program, increasing the total contract value from $1.2 billion to $3.33 billion. The deal, focused on sustaining engineering, product support, and management services for SM-3 variants, will serve the U.S. Navy and Foreign Military Sales partners, with work primarily in Tucson, AZ, and Huntsville, AL, to be completed by October 29, 2029. The SM-3, a key component of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system, intercepts short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles with over 30 successful space intercepts and 400+ deliveries to the U.S. and Japanese navies. Driven by rising global missile threats and a projected 5% CAGR in the missile defense market (2025–2030), RTX benefits from steady Pentagon and allied orders, though posts on X highlight concerns about escalating defense costs.

Silent Power Play: U.S. Deploys USS Ohio in China’s Pacific Sphere

On May 14, 2025, the U.S. Navy revealed the deployment of the USS Ohio, a nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine (SSGN) armed with up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, to the Western Pacific, specifically Naval Base Guam, as reported by Newsweek. The move, part of routine operations in the U.S. Seventh Fleet’s area, underscores America’s commitment to countering China’s naval expansion, with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fielding over 370 vessels, including 12 nuclear-powered submarines. Arriving in Guam on April 23, 2025, the USS Ohio conducted a joint exercise with the U.S. Marine Corps on May 6, enhancing rapid-response capabilities. Amid heightened tensions and China’s growing submarine force, the deployment signals deterrence in the Second Island Chain, a strategic U.S.-aligned barrier to restrict China’s Pacific access. Posts on X reflect mixed sentiments, with some cheering the U.S. show of force and others noting China’s naval advancements, though financial strains and a sunken Zhou-class submarine highlight Beijing’s challenges.

Cash Crunch in the Skies: Air Force Halts 2025 Retention Bonuses

On May 15, 2025, the U.S. Air Force announced the early closure of its Fiscal Year 2025 Selective Retention Bonus (SRB) program, effective May 20, 2025, due to exhausting its allocated budget, as reported by Air Force Times and Military.com. The program, which incentivizes reenlistment in 89 critical career fields like cybersecurity, special operations, and aircraft maintenance, offered bonuses up to $180,000 (capped at $360,000 over a career). High retention rates (89.3% for enlisted, 90.1% overall) and increased reenlistments, driven by an expanded eligibility list (up from 73 fields in 2024) and a longer reenlistment window (12 months), depleted the $1.1 billion budget faster than anticipated. Airmen already enrolled will receive anniversary payments, but new applications are halted. The shortfall, exacerbated by inflation-driven costs, mirrors past pauses (e.g., 2023), raising concerns about retention in high-demand roles. Posts on X express frustration, with some questioning budget priorities amid strong retention.

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