Standards 'Vital' to Navy, NASA Mission, Butch Wilmore Says

March 27, 2026 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

In early 2025, NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Suni Williams — both retired Navy captains — were nearing nine months aboard the International Space Station, where they had been stranded since June 2024. The two were rescued and returned to Earth March 18, after spending 286 days in space.

During a visit to the Pentagon yesterday, Wilmore spoke with service members about service, space, leadership and the importance of standards. 

Wilmore joined the Navy after finishing college in 1986. He attended flight school and served as a pilot in tactical jets, including the A-7E Corsair II and the F/A-18 Hornet. He served in Operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield and Southern Watch and has logged over 8,000 flight hours and 663 carrier landings. He's a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and as a test pilot, he participated in developing the T-45 Goshawk trainer aircraft. 

It wasn't until 2000, Wilmore said, that he was accepted into NASA's astronaut program. 

"I didn't join the Navy to become an astronaut," he said. "I joined the Navy to serve my country. And how I thought I would do it, I had a jet in my mind's eye." 

After completing a couple of master's degrees and flight school, he said he was looking for more. 

"I'm like, 'Hey, you can't fly any higher and faster than the space shuttle — let's try that,'" he said. "So again, the Lord gave me that desire in my heart as well."

Preparation for becoming an astronaut, he said, came from everything he'd done previously as a Navy pilot. 

"Think about putting on a one-man space capsule and going out into the vacuum of space, and the responsibility required for that," he said. "This is something obviously that I did with NASA, but you don't get prepared for this type of thing to be able to do it well and take on that responsibility without the foundation that takes place before you get there, and that was, for me, ... in our United States military."

Commitment, preparation and resilience, Wilmore said, are things he brought to the NASA job, things he learned in the Navy. 

The jobs of service members and of astronauts are not really jobs at all, he said. They are commitments. 

"This is something that is a way of life, and you've got to be all in," he said. "Because if you're not, you're not going to be able to do this job to the level that is required. And that commitment breeds the desire to be prepared. I mean, absolutely 100% prepared." 

The Navy veteran spoke about the "great responsibility" every service member has, as well as the resiliency required to do their jobs.

"Resiliency is something that is learned," he said. "It is a trait that comes with rigor: blood, sweat and tears. That's where resiliency is born, and it becomes toughness and focus and fairness and all that rolled into fortitude, that term ... that we have to have in our military." 

Wilmore added that the biggest factor affecting resilience is leadership — something he also learned in the Navy. 

"Leadership is required; absolute leadership makes or breaks this resiliency that has its foundation as commitment, preparation and responsibility." 

He described a successful leader as resilient, morally and ethically sound, meek, humble, timely, adaptable, sacrificial and unselfish.

"And realizes their words have power," he said. "You've got to realize that, and you've got to wield that sword effectively and with compassion and with care. And of course, you've got to be disciplined and determined. You have to be, especially for what you guys are responsible for every single day. I've lived it, I've seen it, I've reaped the benefits of great leaders instilling these characteristics in me, and for that, I am greatly thankful." 

Shortly after taking the helm of the Pentagon last year, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth outlined plans to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild the U.S. military and reestablish deterrence with a focus on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards and readiness. 

Wilmore said success, both in the Navy as a pilot and at NASA as an astronaut, depends deeply on those very things the secretary is focused on now. 

"They are vital," he said, adding that success in particular is not possible without standards. "I'm so grateful that our military is doing what it's doing right now, because these standards are there for a reason." 

Wilmore said performance standards exist for the safety and benefit of the entire military, noting that "most of them are written in blood." 

He said his faith is another important element of his own success in both the Navy and NASA. 

When the Starliner spacecraft that took Wilmore and Williams into space in 2024 lost several of its thrusters — limiting maneuvering abilities — he knew he and his teammate would be stranded in space for some time. He said it was his faith that kept him pressing on. 

He described himself, both in maneuvering the Starline craft when it lost thrusters, and later when he was stranded on the space station, as being "content." He cited a biblical story featuring the Apostle Paul, who was beaten, stoned and left for dead, as a way to illustrate this. 

"What does [Paul] say? He says, 'I am content,'" Wilmore said. "In the moment, this moment [in the spacecraft], and others I've had in the past, if I am trying to be what the Lord would have me be — in line, in step with where he would have me be — if I'm anything other than content, I'm not trusting. Paul was content ... he knows he's right where the Lord would have him be, even amongst the trials he's undergoing. And that's contentment. And that's what I try to line my beliefs up, and my understanding with; and that's where I was. That's why I was content." 

Wilmore is a veteran of three space flights and has logged 464 days in space, along with over 31 hours during five spacewalks. 

Department of War Secures Agreement on THAAD Seeker Production, Quadrupling Output to Bolster America's Missile Defense

March 25, 2026 |

The Department of War, in partnership with BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin, today announced a framework agreement to quadruple the production of seekers for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor. This agreement ensures the nation's industrial might is positioned to deliver on President Trump and Secretary Hegseth's mandate to build the Arsenal of Freedom. 

The agreement follows the recent announcement with Lockheed Martin to quadruple THAAD interceptor production. By securing the industrial base for the missile's seeker, the Department of War is moving beyond deals with prime contractors and is actively architecting the resurgence of America's defense industrial capacity across the entire supply chain. 

This agreement provides BAE Systems with the stability required for long-term investment, guaranteeing that this critical component in the supply chain is delivered at speed and scale to deter and defeat any adversary. 

"Securing our supply chain is just as critical as our partnership with the prime contractors," said Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment. "This agreement with BAE Systems sends a clear, stable, long-term demand signal. We are providing the certainty our partners need to invest, expand, and hire. This is how we place the industrial base on a wartime footing."

By locking in this critical component, the Department of War is ensuring that the nation's capacity to build and deploy this vital defensive weapon will outpace any adversary's threat to the United States or its allies. This is the Arsenal of Freedom in action, built to ensure peace through undeniable strength.

This initiative is a powerful demonstration of the Department's revitalized Acquisition Transformation Strategy, put into practice by the work of the Munitions Acceleration Council. The Council is executing its mandate to dismantle barriers, forge stronger industry partnerships, and build enduring production capacity. By locking in the THAAD seeker supply, the Department is transforming to a new way of doing business, focused on speed, volume, and delivering a decisive overmatch against any threat.

Innovation in Action: Airman-Built 3D Model Strengthens Air Traffic Controller Training

March 20, 2026 | By Air Force Senior Airman Imani West, 19th Airlift Wing |

Airmen assigned to the 19th Operations Support Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, are taking a creative approach to training the next generation of air traffic controllers by developing a detailed 3D model that visually represents aircraft patterns and procedures used at the installation.

 
The innovation demonstrates how airmen are leveraging emerging technologies and creative problem-solving to improve training and operational readiness. 
 
The immersive training tool was designed and produced by Air Force Airman Jay Perry, 19th OSS air traffic control apprentice. It provides a scale representation of the base's airspace and flight patterns. The project was inspired by an idea from Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ryan Sanders, 19th OSS noncommissioned officer in charge of training and standardization. 
 
Traditional training methods often rely on instructors holding model aircraft or cards to demonstrate aircraft positions and movements. While effective, the approach can make it difficult for visual and tactile learners to fully imagine spacing, conflict points and maneuvering patterns.

 
"This model allows us to physically show where aircraft may break in the pattern, extend downwind or maneuver differently," Sanders said. "It helps airmen understand when conflict may exist or when it doesn't, based on the flight path." 
 
The model re-creates the installation's airspace layout at scale and uses magnets to hold miniature aircraft in place, allowing instructors to demonstrate real-world scenarios more accurately. The enhanced visualization helps trainees better understand aircraft spacing, sequencing and potential conflict areas. 
 
Perry used a 3D modeling program to build his creation, but he made it by manipulating shapes to create detailed designs. After designing each component digitally, Perry prepared the parts for printing and produced them using multiple 3D printers available at the base innovation lab.

 
The process required careful planning, preparation and experimentation. 
 
"Everything started from a single block in the design software," Perry said. "Each piece had to be separated and designed in a way that it could be printed and assembled later. It might look simple when you see the final model, but a lot of thought went into making sure the supports, slopes and connections would actually work." 
 
One of the biggest challenges was ensuring the model could support its own structure at the scale required to accurately represent the airfield. The team experimented with different stand designs and angles to create a realistic yet durable layout.

 
By transforming abstract training concepts into a physical, visual model, the 19th Operations Support Squadron is helping trainees better grasp the complexities of airfield operations. This ensures controllers are better equipped to manage the skies above the base. 
 
The project also highlights a broader culture of innovation across the installation, where airmen at every level are encouraged to identify challenges and develop solutions that enhance mission effectiveness.

Joint Statement Reaffirming a Shared Commitment to Defense Industrial Resilience

March 20, 2026 |

The following text was jointly agreed upon by the 16 members of the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR): the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, and the United Kingdom following the 2nd Annual PIPIR Plenary meeting.

We, the National Armaments Directors and senior government officials of the member nations of the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), convened for our 2nd Annual Plenary meeting, virtually, on March 18, 2026, to reaffirm our commitment to accelerating defense industrial cooperation.

We reaffirmed the PIPIR Statement of Core Vision and Terms of Reference, discussed the collective challenges and opportunities to defense industrial cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and endorsed the 2026 roadmap for PIPIR workstream initiatives.

We also endorsed the accession of Thailand and the United Kingdom to PIPIR, welcoming them as the 15th and 16th members, respectively, to join our Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic partnership. Collectively, we are committed to strengthening defense industrial resilience to promote the continued regional security, economic security, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.

We discussed current capacity shortfalls and resilience challenges in the global defense industrial base that impede our ability to meet combined operational needs but acknowledged positive momentum through PIPIR in addressing barriers to increased armaments cooperation. We further reaffirmed our commitment to exploring avenues across the Partnership to strengthen defense industrial base integration to de-risk supply chains, expand forward sustainment capacity, remove policy and regulatory impediments to cooperation, and accelerate production of key systems and components.

We discussed the significant progress that has been achieved through PIPIR since its establishment, recalling the announcement of two marquee initiatives by the U.S. Secretary of War at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2025, including the development of a forward repair capability for P-8 radar systems in Australia and the development of standards for small unmanned aerial systems across the Indo-Pacific. We agreed to the following next steps for these marquee initiatives:

• Expanding the scope of the regional sustainment hub in Australia to support additional P-8 operators in the Indo-Pacific, a project recently announced at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2025.
• Endorsing four Statements of Intent to foster cooperation on small unmanned aerial systems' battery and small motor development through executing an industry survey and sharing results among participants, pursuing reciprocal standards and a common procurement policy, and identifying efforts towards a future battery project.

We agreed that PIPIR continues to make tangible progress toward addressing barriers and accelerating defense industrial collaboration to promote a stronger, more resilient, more integrated, defense industrial base. We also reaffirmed the importance of multilateral frameworks such as PIPIR to help facilitate the rapid delivery of relevant capabilities to our combined defense forces. In doing so, we took measure of the progress made since our last plenary on these efforts:

• Building on the success of the Multinational Armaments Resilience Seminar, the first Indo-Pacific focused multinational armaments cooperation course, to be executed on a yearly basis, and co-hosted by the Department of War's Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and rotating PIPIR members.
• Continuing our campaign of learning through multiple industrial base-focused subject-matter expert exchanges, tabletop exercises, and collaborative learning events.

We also discussed and endorsed several new lines of effort that will strengthen the Partnership by creating more opportunities for collaboration and will advance defense industrial resilience in the Indo-Pacific and globally:

• Committing to a project that will explore feasibility and opportunity to establish a forward-deployed F100/F110 engine repair hub in Japan, which, will support regional sustainment for F-15 and F-16 platforms operated by the United States Air Force and partner nations.
• Progressing the effort to establish a CH-47 Chinook T-55 engine repair hub in the Republic of Korea, a project recently announced at the US-ROK Logistics Cooperations Committee in July 2025.
• Establishment of a new Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) production initiative between the US and Japan, chaired by Japan.
• Expanding energetics and munitions development by assessing the potential for interest and funding for the 30mm-by-173mm ammunition load, assemble, and pack line effort with the Philippines.
• Supporting regional co-production opportunities by exploring modular UAV projects across many mission sets.
• Instituting new tools and techniques, such as a project development guide, that provides a methodology to identify and assess future collaborations resulting in enhanced project efficiency and efficacy, information sharing, and transparency among governments, industry partners, and stakeholders.

Air Force Research Laboratory Tests Draper Liquid Rocket Engine in Flight

March 17, 2026 | By Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs Office |

The Air Force Research Laboratory and an aerospace technology and defense systems contractor recently flew the Affordable Rapid Missile Demonstrator, powered by the Draper liquid rocket engine, achieving supersonic speeds and demonstrating key concepts of operations. This flight is an innovative step toward advancing capabilities that strengthen deterrence and provide rapid global strike options.

"This project proves that we can transform and leverage our acquisition models to rapidly deliver critical technology advancements to deter and win in a future conflict," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, AFRL commander and Air Force technology executive officer. "We are not just building a single missile; we are forging a new path toward a cost-effective, mass-producible deterrent for the nation."

This sentiment is echoed by the contractor's leaders, who emphasized their shared commitment to the ARMD program's speed and cost-effectiveness. This project represents a new paradigm for accelerating research and development of critical defense technologies, rooted in fast-paced, effective public-private partnerships.

"This flight proves that you can get a vehicle with a safe, storable and throttleable liquid engine in the air quickly and affordably," said Chris Spagnoletti, contractor CEO. "We went from contract to flight-ready of an all-up round and propulsion system in just eight months."

This demonstration of the Draper liquid rocket engine leverages several years of the contractor work on their Hadley liquid rocket engine, along with an enduring public-private partnership with AFRL to develop these new rocket propulsion technologies.

"ARMD represents a key milestone in our efforts to develop revolutionary, affordable and scalable liquid rocket engine technologies to win the wars of tomorrow," said Javier Urzay, AFRL rocket propulsion division chief.

Mastering the First Breath: Navy Medicine Research Prepares Warfighters Against Cold's Lethal Shock

March 11, 2026 | By Matthew Reyes, Naval Health Research Center |

The first plunge into icy water is a shock to the system. For a warfighter operating in extreme cold weather environments, a fall into near-freezing seas isn't a mishap; it's a life-or-death battle that is won or lost in the first few minutes. 
 
This research mission took Naval Health Research Center scientists to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California, where they spent six days doing research in the harsh Sierra Nevada winter. Working in air temperatures hovering at 19 degrees and with water temperatures at 34 degrees, the team focused on equipping U.S. warfighters with practical survival skills for extreme conditions.

The project, funded by the Office of Naval Research, is directly aimed at improving survival rates during a mass casualty incident at sea, such as a torpedoed ship in arctic waters. Researchers from the center's environmental and thermal physiology team are investigating cold-environment survival to understand and combat a silent killer known as the "cold shock response," a leading threat in sudden cold exposure scenarios.  
 
"Most people's first worry is hypothermia, but in order to actually become hypothermic, you have to survive the cold shock response," said Rebecca Weller, a research physiologist with the research center. "The initial moments in cold water are often the most dangerous, and how you control your breathing in those moments can determine whether you survive." 
 
That initial, involuntary gasp for air upon hitting cold water, the rapid and uncontrolled breathing, and the spike in heart rate and blood pressure are all hallmarks of the cold shock response — a series of immediate bodily reactions to sudden cold exposure. This physiological response can quickly lead to aspirating water, cognitive impairment and drowning. Research suggests that this response is the cause of death in up to 60% of accidental cold-water immersions, long before the body's core temperature begins to drop. 

 
The environmental and thermal physiology team, led by principal investigator Doug Jones, partnered with the warfare training center to conduct a vital study during its cold-weather medicine course. Students, mostly Navy hospital corpsmen, enrolled in the course prepared for the rigors of cold weather operations and also had the opportunity to volunteer as subjects in an experiment designed to find a simple, effective defense against cold shock. 
 
The day before a planned cold-water immersion, study participants underwent baseline testing for stress, anxiety and information recall. They also received specialized training in slow-paced breathing. 
 
The next morning, volunteers were fitted with an array of sophisticated data-collection devices — heart rate straps and core and skin temperature monitors. The most critical piece of equipment, however, was a spirometer, which measures the volume and rate of breathing.

The goal was to see if a simple breathing exercise could override the body's instinct to panic. 
 
"We are trying to develop a technique and strategy that can limit the stress associated with accidental cold-water immersion," Jones said. 
 
The research center is currently analyzing data from these tests. Based on a preliminary review of the data, the group trained in slow-paced breathing appears to have demonstrated a lower, more controlled breathing rate during the immersion than the untrained control group. They were actively using the technique to fight the body's involuntary response. 
 
The team is now analyzing how controlled breathing impacts the cold shock response and operational performance, such as completion of the nine-line task to determine if a patient needs to be evacuated. During the immersion, participants were tasked with performing the test — a standard military procedure that requires clear thinking and precise communication. The ability to perform such a task under the intense physiological stress of cold shock can mean the difference between life and death for a service member. 

 
Ultimately, the findings from this research will provide evidence-based data to validate and refine training protocols across the U.S. military. The ultimate goal is to provide the military with evidence-based tools that can be quickly taught to any service member and integrated into official guidance like the Navy's Cold Weather Handbook for Surface Ships, to add strategies for surviving the initial moments of cold-water immersion. 
 
"How you control your breathing in those initial moments of cold-water immersion can determine whether you survive it," Weller emphasized. "By practicing these techniques in a controlled environment, service members may gain the confidence and muscle memory to execute them when it counts." 
 
These findings will educate a new generation of warfighters — more prepared, more adaptable and more lethal — armed with the knowledge to conquer one of nature's most unforgiving environments. They are proving that in the face of the cold's deadly gasp, the most powerful weapon can be a single, controlled breath. 
 
Through a wide range of research, including its cold-water immersion studies, the research center develops strategies that enable the warfighter to overcome the many health and performance-related challenges they face in the course of their duties. This research provides the Navy, Marine Corps and joint forces with the opportunity to develop tools to maintain cognitive function and enhance survivability in the most extreme maritime environments.

IATF-401, FAA to Conduct Advanced Counter-Drone Laser Test at White Sands Missile Range

March 6, 2026 |

Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct a high-energy laser test on March 7-8, 2026, to continue advancing the safe use of counter-unmanned aerial systems in the United States.

This test is part of a long-term, multi-year partnership between the Department of War and the FAA to ensure counter-drone technologies are safely integrated into the national airspace. The plan has been jointly developed by a wide range of stakeholders, with support from the White House Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty. Key partners supporting the JIATF-401 laser test include the FAA, White Sands Missile Range, the Army Program Acquisition Executive-Fires, Northern Command, and Joint Task Force Southern Border.

"This is a critical step in making sure our warfighters have the most advanced tools to defend the homeland," said U.S. Army Brigadier General Matt Ross, Director of JIATF-401. "By working hand-in-hand with the FAA and our interagency partners, we are ensuring that these cutting-edge capabilities are safe, effective, and ready to protect Americans from emerging drone threats. Our measure of success is to quickly deliver state-of-the-art C-UAS capability to the warfighter, and this test furthers that mission."

The test is a continuation of extensive testing conducted by the DoW over the last few decades. Earlier tests provided valuable data, further refining the system's capabilities and advancing the collaborative effort between DoW and the FAA. This upcoming event will specifically address FAA safety concerns while gathering data about the laser’s material effects on aircraft surrogates, validating the functionality of automated safety shut-off systems, and informing analyses for aircrew eye safety.

To maximize collaboration, representatives from the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and the New Mexico National Guard will be in attendance. The test underscores an ongoing unified federal effort to counter threats posed by unmanned aerial systems while maintaining the sovereignty and safety of U.S. airspace.